A couple of weeks ago “US PR firm paid to demonize Israel” became by far the most popular post ever on this blog, with over 2400 hits within a couple of days. I understand it was distributed by various email lists as well.
Based on information developed by The Israel Project, it described the role of Fenton Communications, a PR firm specializing in liberal causes (MoveOn.org was a client) in supporting the Free Gaza flotilla.
Fenton has apparently decided that it can’t take the heat:
WASHINGTON (JTA) — A U.S. public relations firm said it will not renew its contract with a pro-Palestinian group that helped to organize the flotilla that aimed to breach Israel’s blockade of the Gaza Strip.
The announcement from Fenton Communications, which specializes in PR for not-for-profit groups, followed The Israel Project’s distribution of a news release publicizing Fenton’s representation of Fakhoora on June 23.
The release noted Fakhoora’s role in helping to organize the flotilla of six aid ships…
According to its website, Fakhoora is a campaign to help improve education for children in Gaza. The organization is supported by the second wife of the emir of Qatar, whose office paid Fenton to represent Fakhoora from March 1 to Aug. 31.
Fenton distributed materials on the Fakhoora’s website, such as a “flotilla action alert,†and helped spread the organization’s message through social networking sites such as Facebook.
The Fakhoora website developed by Fenton was slick, attractive and state-of-the-art, with links to Twitter and an active, well-developed Facebook page. The focus on education did not obscure the message, which was to demonize Israel and support the aims of Hamas.
Fenton’s mistake was probably to provide too much information with its Foreign Agent Registration form. Live and learn.
Technorati Tags: Fenton Communications, Israel, Free Gaza flotilla