Jameel at The Muqata: Exclusive Interview
Batya Matla Herzberg
Issue date: 2/26/09 Section: Israel
The Observer: What types of issues do you normally cover on your blog?
Jameel: Day to day life in Israel, raising kids and teenagers, trips around Israel to off-the-beaten-path locations such as Kever Yosef in Shechem, Kever Yehoshua in Kifel Khares, Hevron, Tzfat, the Negev and Galil (I try to include homemade videos as well). Israeli politics, reserve duty in the IDF, my hobbies, and occasional references to home baked waffles all end up on my blog from time to time.
The Observer: Can you explain the term "warblogging" and its importance, particularly during Israel's latest operation (Cast Lead)?
Jameel: Warblogging is simply reporting the news from Israel during wartime, providing as much information as the IDF military censor permits -- from the war front to the home front, including commentary to boost morale on a round the clock basis...as much as work and family responsibilities permit.
Israel at war is a war on 3 fronts: IDF soldiers fight at the front lines, Magen David Adom and Hatzalah EMTs provide emergency medical and rescue services to civilians wounded by missile attacks on the home front, and all pro-Israel supporters fight at the Public Relations front. While not always at the first two, I try to do my part to help Israel with the battle for effective PR. Israel is always outnumbered in the PR war, so it's imperative to provide clear, concise, factual information for Israel's friends around the world, reassuring them that Israel is doing the right thing. I don't entertain any thoughts of changing the minds of pro-Hamas (or anti-Israel, or worse anti-Semitic) supporters, yet providing up to date information for Israel's supporters strengthens their connection to Israel and helps them feel self confident about their support for Israel -- which then continues to spread when they debate our position further.
The Observer: What are your sources for your posts?
Jameel: My blog, which is staffed by a few volunteers, has a variety of information sources, ranging from Israeli Hebrew language forums around the country, radio and TV (all rocket warnings during the war were broadcast in real time) as well as other exclusive sources which I'm not at liberty to reveal (though all information published adhered to the strict guidelines of the IDF censor).
Jameel: Day to day life in Israel, raising kids and teenagers, trips around Israel to off-the-beaten-path locations such as Kever Yosef in Shechem, Kever Yehoshua in Kifel Khares, Hevron, Tzfat, the Negev and Galil (I try to include homemade videos as well). Israeli politics, reserve duty in the IDF, my hobbies, and occasional references to home baked waffles all end up on my blog from time to time.
The Observer: Can you explain the term "warblogging" and its importance, particularly during Israel's latest operation (Cast Lead)?
Jameel: Warblogging is simply reporting the news from Israel during wartime, providing as much information as the IDF military censor permits -- from the war front to the home front, including commentary to boost morale on a round the clock basis...as much as work and family responsibilities permit.
Israel at war is a war on 3 fronts: IDF soldiers fight at the front lines, Magen David Adom and Hatzalah EMTs provide emergency medical and rescue services to civilians wounded by missile attacks on the home front, and all pro-Israel supporters fight at the Public Relations front. While not always at the first two, I try to do my part to help Israel with the battle for effective PR. Israel is always outnumbered in the PR war, so it's imperative to provide clear, concise, factual information for Israel's friends around the world, reassuring them that Israel is doing the right thing. I don't entertain any thoughts of changing the minds of pro-Hamas (or anti-Israel, or worse anti-Semitic) supporters, yet providing up to date information for Israel's supporters strengthens their connection to Israel and helps them feel self confident about their support for Israel -- which then continues to spread when they debate our position further.
The Observer: What are your sources for your posts?
Jameel: My blog, which is staffed by a few volunteers, has a variety of information sources, ranging from Israeli Hebrew language forums around the country, radio and TV (all rocket warnings during the war were broadcast in real time) as well as other exclusive sources which I'm not at liberty to reveal (though all information published adhered to the strict guidelines of the IDF censor).
Viewing Comments 1 - 10 of 11
Jack
posted 2/27/09 @ 3:40 AM EST
You forgot to ask Jameel about his famous waffles and his plan to start a chain of Waffle stands throughout Israel. Not to mention that his skills at cooking waffles were first developed during his YU days. (Continued…)
Nati
posted 2/27/09 @ 8:15 AM EST
Excellent overview.
One of these days, someone's going to print t-shirts that say "Everything I needed to know about Israeli current events, I learned from Jameel. (Continued…)
Raizy
posted 2/28/09 @ 10:14 PM EST
Jameel is being modest about the impact that his blog has. During the recent war in Gaza, the Muqata posted a steady stream of the most up-to-date, accurate information to be found anywhere. (Continued…)
RivkA with a Capital A
posted 3/01/09 @ 12:21 AM EST
While it's true that "Jameel" and "The Muqata" might deter some readers, it also attracts others who would not have otherwise stumbled onto a blog by a Jewish "settler. (Continued…)
Lame
posted 3/01/09 @ 12:49 AM EST
Lame.
Not Lame
posted 3/01/09 @ 7:54 AM EST
Not Lame
Cosmic X
posted 3/01/09 @ 10:28 AM EST
Great interview. It's been a long time since I had some waffles.
YMedad
Yisrael Medad
posted 3/01/09 @ 3:26 PM EST
Jameel is a joy! Haven't spent so pleasurable a time at a Stern event since going out with my future wife in 1968-69. One thing Jameel did leave out and that was the need for a better, more effective networking system for what I would call the more politically activist bloggers. (Continued…)
tafka pp
posted 3/03/09 @ 12:43 PM EST
As one of his earliest readers (yes, even before Joe Settler) I recall that Jameel's and blogname was more considered than he lets on... and was a pained nod to his stance on this disengagement. (Continued…)
skornik, security academy
posted 2/21/10 @ 5:01 AM EST
Good interview, interesting and meeningful.
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