Middle East 'expert'!
My friend the broadcaster Carol Gould passed my name on to the Iranian-backed television station PRESS TV (Sky Channel 515) in 2010. Carol and I meet in an unofficial forum which tries to develop pro-active policies for the Jewish state.
I have appeared in half or dozen or so programmes as a political anthropologist and/or 'Middle East expert'. It's both a great honour and a heavy responsibility to appear in front of Muslim audiences. I take the challenge very seriously.
So far PRESS TV has not edited anything I have said. Save only that it shields its backer, Iran, from much direct criticism, it is, so far, an important news source for the Middle East.
Broadcasting guidelines and techniques:
1. Remind viewers that Israel is above all a Jewish state where Jewish values predominate.
2. The re-creation of the Jewish state in 1948 is the miracle of an ancient people returning to their original homeland.
3. In doing so, they have returned with their ancient language, Hebrew, now revived into a modern tongue. The language fits into the area like a hand into a glove.
4. Remind viewers that Zionist is a term for 'Jewish nationalist' not 'monster' or 'neo-Nazi' as it's bandied about.
5. Mention 'soft-touchism' – vociferous political virility towards democracies: USA, EC, UK and the Jewish state; utterly supine behaviour to tyranny: China, N. Korea, Iran, Syria. Fearless of those who do no harm; terror of those who do.
6. Try to tell the truth and be objective. Yes, there has been historic settlement of the land, maybe by people who were once Jews!
Their wishes must be settled too – together with, but not at the expense of - the Jewish state.
