STAFF NOTES: MIDDLE EAST AFRICA SOUTH ASIA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP86T00608R000400010010-7
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 7
• Document Creation Date: December 16, 2016
• Document Release Date: March 29, 2005
• Sequence Number: 10
• Publication Date: January 15, 1975
• Content Type: REPORT

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I Secret
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1 r E QR~' 0
Middle East
Africa
South Asia
State Department review completed
NSA review completed
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anuarr 15, 19Th
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MIDDLE EAST - AFRICA - SOUTH ASIA
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CO N 7'2.-N T S
Israel: Worried About Its Image Abroad
Pakistan: Generous Arab Earthquake Relief Aid . 3
Jan 15, 1975
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Israel
7rp2'1';. :. ri.1i'ui'
Israeli citizens and officials are increas-
ingly concerned over what they believe is their
country's declining image abroad and the govern-
ment's difficulty in reversing the trend.
In recent conversations with US embassy offi-
cers in Tel Aviv, the Israelis have stressed that a
massive Arab propaganua effort launched after the
war in October 1973, particularly on behalf of the
Palestinians, has been largely responsible for the
damage to Israel's image in Europe and the US.
They believe the Palestinians have effectively used
slogans--similar to those used by Zionists before
Israeli independence--demanding their right to
national self-determination. :'lost Israelis, how-
ever, still believe that the European people, as
distinct from some of their governments, remain
s,:aipathetic to Israel, and that US Jewry is still a
firm defender of Israel.
The US embassy believes that some Israelis at
least are beginning to, show an awareness that the
country's information program has been ha:idicapp-,d
by its foreign policy. The embassy, however, sees
no signs that foreign policy has been affected by
thi: consideration. Many Israelis, for example,
believe that the government might have been better
equipped to respond to the UN General Assembly
speech by Palestine liberation Organization head
Arafat has Tel Aviv been on record as willing to
talk to any Palestinian organization that recog-
nizes the existence of Israel and.renounces terrorism.
A large :number of Israelis acknowledge that
Israel's swift and overwhelming victory over the
Arabs in 1.967 changed its world image from that of
a small underdog nation fighting for survival to
(Continued)
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that of a major ;Iiddl cast power with an army of
occupation in the Sinai, on the Jordan West Bank,
and on the 03olan ilcitjhts. Many Israelis believe
this change ushered in a shift in world opinion in
favor of the Arabs.
!.mayors of the government' information
services have become increasingly uncertain how
best to explain Israel's case to world opinion.
.Mlong their." problelmis are the diversity of the
target audiences, budgetary constraints, and the
absence of coordinated. governmental information
at uiaelines. An additional complication, the Israelis
believe, is presen ee by some 300 resident foreign
-or::esponde nts. 'Y'ale Israelis see the newsmen as
.;-.-gphasising Israel's problems rather than its
achi.ev m nts, anti iiirihlighting such incidents as
i ae burning of the bodies of te7.rorists by irate
Israeli townspeople rather '.than the terrorist
attack, itself.
The government in r cent months appears t_o
have become aware of the need to do more to 7:efur-
bi s l its image abroad. Tel Aviv, for instance, has
launched a program to upgrade its diplomatic: repre-
sentatl.C~:i, especially at tilt' consular level and in
countries with large Jewish .'om.mu lities. It has
also sought to present its case directly `~o foreign
audiences. Prime Minister Rabin, in particular,
has granted numerous press and televisit; i1 inter-
views over the past two months to foreign cor-
respondents.
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.i-ittii i s t? an
l;e?;erou:? Ar!ib 'a thaiiak.1 Ra ft. f iiid
Prime Minister Ihutto's success ir, strengthen-
ing Pakistan's ties with Arab oil-producing states
has been demonstrated again by generous Arab relief
assistance following Pakistan's earthquake disaster
of December 28. The earthquake devastated a number
of mountain villages and killed over 5,000 people
in a remote area in northern Pakistan.
Arab relief donations, mainly in the form of
cash, have surpassed Islamabad's expectations.
Libya has provided $16 million, Saudi Arabia $10
million, Algeria reportedly $10 million, the United
Arab Emirates $8 million, and Kuwait $5 million.
Contributions from non-Arab countries have been
on a much smaller scale,, but have included badly
needed supplies. Neighboring Iran has been the
largest non-Arab donor, contributing $1 million in
cash and airlifting medical and other supplies. Two
of Pakistan's regional rivals, India and Bangladesh,
reportedly have sent modest contributions. Aid has
also been received from UN agencies, as well as the
US, China, and others.
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