An international PR group with close ties to the Israeli government and AIPAC contacted me in order to set me straight on the “Palestine issue”

On Sunday morning I received a very interesting Email from someone with the Steinreich Communications Group, Inc., which you can read below.

I was curious why a PR firm would contact me without any solicitation, especially since they were “offering” to provide analysis of who would be the next likely Prime Minister of the Palestinian Authority.

Immediately, I wanted to check out the Steinreich Communications Group, Inc., which I discovered has the largest number of Israeli and Jewish clients of any agency in the US. I also discovered that in December of 2020, the Steinreich Communications Group, Inc., had hired Joshua Lavine, a former Israeli mission to UN Speechwriter & American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) professional. Lavine then left Steinreich Communications Group, Inc., and now serves as advisor to Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations, Gilad Erdan. Lavine’s role is to Advise Ambassador Gilad Erdan on foreign policy and international media strategy. 

When South Africa brought charges against Israel at the ICJ in January, here is what Joshua Lavine advised the Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations, Gilad Erdan, had to say, according to the Associated Press:

Israel’s U.N. Ambassador Gilad Erdan called the case a “new moral low” and said that by taking it on, “the U.N. and its institutions have become weapons in service of terrorist organizations.”

It is very instructive that such a high powered PR Firm as the Steinreich Communications Group, Inc., with long standing ties to the Israeli government and AIPAC, would contact GRIID out of the blue. Are they really that threatened by such a small, Grand Rapids-based blog, that they would waste their time trying to put me in touch with a former Israeli Intelligence Official? I don’t know if this is a mild attempt to co-opt or threaten GRIID, but it certainly demonstrates that they are deeply concerned about the growing public opposition in the US to the Biden Administration’s unconditional support for Israel’s genocidal campaign against the Palestinians. 

Editor’s note: I did write then back and said, “Hi Josh, just curious, why have you reached out to me specifically, as I am but a lowly blogger in Grand Rapids, Michigan?” 

I’m still waiting for a response.

Hi Jeff,

According to Former Israeli Intelligence Official and regional analyst Avi Melamed (bio below), Abbas’s choice of Dr. Mohammad Mustafa to serve as the next prime minister of the Palestinian Authority (PA) was an expected choice, meant to illustrate progress yet failing to show meaningful pragmatic progress towards the “reformed Palestinian Authority” that world leaders have called for, and the “Palestinian street” needs. 

Melamed shared: 

“Abbas’s choice of Dr. Mohammad Mustafa to serve as the next prime minister of the Palestinian Authority (PA) was an expected choice as Mustafa, an Abbas-loyalist was previously appointed by the aging Palestinian President to oversee the Palestine Investment Fund (PIF) and its $1,000,000,000 portfolio.

While Abbas seeks for this change to placate those calling for a technocratic, reformed PA, the reality is that Hamas’s actions have proven the ability that those independent of the Palestinian Authority have to dictate radical agendas, and the PA will not be seen as the legitimate representative of the Palestinian people in Gaza until it can represent the vast majority of them, to control the post-war strip, and to police radical actors. 

Ultimately while the ongoing reforms in the Palestinian Authority are meant to illustrate progress, they fail to show meaningful change including open elections, a succession plan for Abbas, and reforms to bridge the gap between the Palestinian street and those sitting in palaces in Ramallah.”

I’d welcome the opportunity to connect you with Avi to learn more about his analysis on the war.

Let me know when works best for you. 

Best, 

Josh