The Israeli Mossad and the Media - Historical and Theoreticalperspectives

Public Relations Review 39 (2013) 111–123

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Public Relations Review

The Israeli Mossad and the media: Historical and theoretical perspectives
Clila Magen ∗
School of Communication, Center for International Communication, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan 52900, Israel

a r t i c l e

i n f o

a b s t r a c t
This essay presents for the first time an integrated and comprehensive historical analysis of the relationship between the external intelligence service in Israel, the Mossad, and the media. The theoretical framework of this research demonstrates the significance of analyzing the relationship through the lens of a challenge–response model, based primarily on public relations literature. Since different changes have taken place in society, culture and media, it is crucial to define what issues the Mossad faced during each era in order to accurately evaluate its strategic communications. The Mossad’s ability to cope efficiently with crisis situations was majorly influenced by the proportions between the challenges and the responses. © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Keywords: Mossad Intelligence services Crisis communication Strategic communication

1. Introduction This study aims to shed light on a rather neglected dimension of Western intelligence services: the public dimension. It suggests broadening the perspective on intelligence–media relations through the theoretical fields of public relations and crisis communication. Crisis communication is defined as, “the dialogue between the organization and its public(s) prior to, during and after the negative occurrence” (Fearn-Banks, 2011). It is considered a domain within the field of public relations (Avery, Lariscy, Kim, & Hocke, 2010; Coombs, 2001). Presented here is a review of the evolution of the relationship between the external Israeli intelligence service (the Mossad) and the Israeli media. These unique developing relations are analyzed

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