According to the report, quoted in Israel's leading newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth, the consultant is Dr. Nashat Aqtash, a media professor at the Birzeit University in Ramallah.
He also goes by the name of Jimmuh?
Posted on 01/22/2006 7:57:53 AM PST by Alouette
Organization to pay spin doctor USD 180,000 to boost its image among Americans, Europeans. Hamas has an image problem, advisor says
Hamas makeover? The Hamas organization has recently hired a media consultant, and has paid the specialist USD 180,000 for boosting Hamas' image among Americans and Europeans, a report in British newspaper The Guardian revealed this week.
According to the report, quoted in Israel's leading newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth, the consultant is Dr. Nashat Aqtash, a media professor at the Birzeit University in Ramallah.
Aqtash was entrusted with helping Hamas in persuading the western nations the organization was not a fanatical religious group that takes pleasure in suicide bombings and hating Jews.
"Hamas has an image problem. The Israelis were able to create a very bad image of the Palestinians in general and particularly Muslims and Hamas. My contract is to project the right image," Aqtash explained.
"Hamas does not believe in terrorism or killing civilians. But Ariel Sharon pressed buttons to make people angry. Sometimes we are innocent enough to react in a way that the Israelis use the reaction against us," Aqtash added.
Another strategic campaign move Hamas has taken ahead of elections was to place a Christian candidate on its list for the legislative Council, in a bid to blur the movement's fundamental Muslim message and stress the party is set to represent all Palestinians, regardless of their faith.
The new candidate, a Christian Orthodox from Gaza named Hussam al-Tawil, is one of the Strip's 2000 Christians' prominent leaders. In its publications, Hamas has highlighted Tawil, in hope this will help soften its image as an extremist Islamist group.
Ronny Shaked contributed to the report
Warning! This is a high-volume ping list.
More US tax dollars at work.
Jerry Lewis?
Is Jimmy Carter the head of this PR agency?????
Dang - you beat me to it!
Jimmy Carter apparently is on retainer.
Habitat for Hamas
It's Da JOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOS fault
---------------------------
Everyone is at work here
US investing in PA image before vote
And they could use some help. There's a better way of phrasing these things, Hamas: State in '67 borders is temporary solution, I'm sure.
1. Only bullets with smiley faces on them will be used.
2. All suicide bombs will be scented with appealing perfumes.
3. All bombers will say "Excuse me" after setting off their bombs* (* if possible). 4. All random, senseless acts of violence will be undertaken only by trained professionals.
Good one.
It's still funny, because now they care about their image to the world; worrying about image is a sign, albeit a small one, of weakness. We should send them some of our liberals and see what happens when the PC infection spreads amongst terrorists.
Good F'n luck! They've been convincing sensible people of the exact opposite since the late 80s.
Kill the infidels with kindness!!
Time for the MOSSAD to do what it does best.
Why would it not work? It did for the PLO and the father of all modern terrorists groups Arafat.
Look what it has done for them. We have been pouring money into them for years and now want to give them their own terrorist country.
In a few months we will have people talking about all the good points of Hamas.
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