Submitted by Sheldon Rampton on
Rubenstein Associates, the PR firm that has represented clients such as Rupert Murdoch, Donald Trump, Leona Helmsley, Adnan Khashoggi and Kathie Lee Gifford, has been hired to help the state of Israel spruce up its image in the deadly conflict with the Palestinians. His advice so far? Paint military assault rifles that shoot rubber bullets purple or orange, and clean up the mess left behind after hours of shooting, shelling, rock throwing and burning cars to "create a sterile and less threatening scene." As Republican Party activist Carol Devin-Molin observes, "the media/communication effort to mold international opinion is just another tool to be utilized by Israel in its ongoing battle with the Palestinians, with military and diplomatic efforts representing other strategic endeavors in the mix."