The former Israeli army spokesman to the international media, Yonatan Conricus, warned that Israel was heading towards receiving “new blows” on the international scene in the near future, strongly criticizing the way it managed the battle of awareness, public opinion and foreign diplomacy.
In an interview with “103FM” radio, which included a reference to the controversy surrounding the movie “Nza,” Conricus considered that internal political interests still prevail over the state’s strategic interests, pointing out that decision-makers and elected officials are acting without responsibility or seriousness, but rather with “real negligence” through statements that harm the country. He explained that this damage affects the settlement, the economy, and the good reputation of both the army and the State of Israel, attributing this to a combination of ignorance and bad faith.
He described Israel’s performance in the field of international media as low and acting as an “amateur,” in contrast to the country’s amazing capabilities in the fields of industry, agriculture, advanced technology, art, and research. He criticized the Israeli rhetoric, considering it lacking maturity and resembling “the talk of children in kindergarten,” stressing that a successful and leading country in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) cannot allow itself such positions if it wants to maintain its trade relations and investments.
Conricus revealed his fears of a broader and upcoming wave of sanctions, stressing that many countries, organizations and individuals are eager to impose harsh sanctions on the entire State of Israel, and not just on part of it or on settlers in the West Bank.
At the conclusion of his speech, he called for a new structure and reducing the presence of the military institution in managing the battle of public opinion in favor of civilian parties and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, so that the state is represented by people wearing official suits. He also called for activating the national media system, allocating sufficient budgets to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and making international media a priority starting with the Prime Minister, in addition to restructuring the Israeli army spokesman unit to be faster and more appropriate to international challenges.
