Results of Israeli civil defense drills in Lebanon. (Photo by Amelia Opalinska.)

A June 1 article on the Haaretz website entitled “Israeli diplomats told to take offensive in PR war against Iran” details the role of Israeli embassies and consulates in preparing for the Iranian presidential election on June 12. According to the article, diplomatic responsibilities include “[o]rganizing demonstrations in front of Iranian consulates worldwide, staging mock stonings and hangings in public, and launching a massive media campaign against Iran,” the ultimate goal of which is described by a senior Foreign Ministry official as being “to show the world that Iran is not a Western democracy.”

The source of inspiration for mock stoning and hanging exhibitions is cited as Iran’s continuing dependence on public execution, “particularly [of] homosexuals and women who violate its morality laws.” Israeli reenactments of Iranian criminal procedures are touted as part of an effort to draw global attention to other radical Islamic faults aside from nuclear aspirations; not explained in the article is why the Israeli diplomatic corps was not enlisted during the run-up to the Lebanese elections to stage mock explosions of US embassies.

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