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Pinkwashing
Coined by combining “pink” and “whitewashing”, the term "Pinkwashing" is used to describe a variety of marketing and political strategies aimed to promote a product or an entity through an appeal to gay-friendliness. Since 2010, adopted by anti-occupation activists in the context of Israeli/Palestinian conflict, the term has been used to describe Israel’s audience-focused marketing strategy where the image of gay-friendliness is utilized to divert the international attention to its human rights violations in Palestine. In November 2011, Sarah Schulman introduced this term to international audience by publishing an article on the New York Times, defining “Pinkwashing” as "the co-opting of white gay people by anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim political forces in Western Europe and Israel." Various scholars also criticize “Pinkwashing” as a "a deliberate strategy to conceal the continuing violations of Palestinians’ human rights behind an image of modernity signified by Israeli gay life.

Etymology
The phrase “Pinkwashing” was coined in 1985 by Breast Cancer Action to identify companies that claimed to support women with breast cancer while actually profiting from their illness. In April 2010, QUIT (Queers Undermining Israeli Terrorism) in the Bay Area, used the phrase “Pinkwashing” as a twist on “Greenwashing” where companies claim to be eco-friendly in order to make profit. Since then, the term has been used to indicate the state practice of Israel in promoting its social progressiveness by creating the image of gay-friendly society. Dunya Alwan attributes the term to Ali Abunimah, editor of Electronic Intifada at a meeting in 2010 saying, “We won’t put up with Israel’s Whitewashing, Greenwashing or Pinkwashing.” In an article appeared on Jadaliyya in 2012, Maya Mikdashi and Jasbir Puar gave this term a more elaborate definition by describing “Pinkwashing” as the process by which “the Israeli state seeks to gloss over the ongoing settler colonialism of historic Palestine by redirecting international attention towards a comparison between the supposedly stellar record of gay rights in Israel and the supposedly dismal state of life for LGBTQ Palestinians in Occupied Palestine” In accordance of the increasing usage of “Pinkwashing” in indicating the state propaganda of Israel, another term “Pinkwatching” was coined to describe the actions of actively monitoring the latest movements of “Pinkwashing” and producing counter-narratives.

Practices of "Brand Israel" and "Pinkwashing"
In her article “A documentary guide to ‘Brand Israel’ and the art of pinkwashing”, Sarah Schuman indicates “Pinkwashing” as an indispensible part of “Brand Israel”. Aiming to erase the image of Israel being “militaristic and religious”, “Brand Israel” is a state campaign to re-brand Israel in the minds of the world as a “modern democracy”, a “safe and secured place for investment” and a “tourist destination with the Sun and the sand”. The state propaganda of “Brand Israel” can be traced back as early as 2005.

The Timeline of "Brand Israel" and "Pinkwashing"
2005: In October 2, the plan of “Brand Israel” was adopted on a meeting convened by the Foreign Ministry, involving its own director general and his counterparts in the Prime Minister’s Office and the Finance Ministry. Based on three years’ consultation with American marketing executives, this propaganda initially aimed to upgrade Israel from a “well-known brand” to a “likable brand”. “Brand Israel” aims to improve Americans’ perception of Israel by selecting aspects of Israeli society and highlighting the attractions. Several studies were conducted by The Brand Israel Group (BIG) to inspect the international and the domestic perception of the image of Israel.

2007: The “Brand Israel" Conference was organized by the Foreign Ministry of Israel in Tel Aviv. This was seen as the official adaptation of the campaign. A 4 million dollar budget was announced by Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni to this campaign, in addition to an established 3 million annual spending on Hasbara. This year also witnessed the first wave of niche marketing strategy targeted the heterosexual population, where a photo-shooting project was initiated by the Consulate General of Israel, featuring Israeli female veterans in swimsuits. This project was featured on Maxim Magazine, the largest young man life-style magazine in America with a monthly readership over nine million, under the title of “Women of the Israeli Defense Forces”. It was reported by the Electronic Intifada in 2007, the global advertising agency Saatchi & Saatchi started to work for the Israel in improving its image without charge.

2008: Israeli started to commission its artists in promoting the liberal and progressive image of Israel. PACBI published a sample contract between Israeli artists and the government, which reveals that the artist is paid with transportation and accommodation expenses to attend international events on the condition that their works need to “promote the policy interests of the state of Israel via culture and art including contributing to creating a positive image for Israel.” However, the contract specifically indicated the artist is forbidden to “present himself as an agent, emissary and/or representative of the Ministry.”

2009: The International Gay and Lesbian Travel Association announced an October Conference in Tel Aviv with the goal of promoting Israel as a “world gay destination.” In May 5th, the Foreign Ministry of Israel announced to send an Israeli delegation to the 2009 World Outgames in Copenhagen and to sponsor part of the event.

2010: Statistics showed, by 2010, the Foreign Ministry of Israel had allocated over 26 million dollars in “Brand Israel” campaign. In April, Brand Israel launched Israeli Pride Month in San Francisco, an event not out of grass-root expression but instigated and funded by Israeli government. Later in July, the Ministry of Tourism and Agudah, the largest Israeli LGBT organization joined together in launching “Tel Aviv Gay Vibe.” This online tourist campaign aimed to promote Tel Aviv as a tourist destination for European LGBT community. An investment of NIS 340 million (about $88.1 million) was made jointly by the Ministry of Tourism and the Tel Aviv Municipality.

2011: The Tel Aviv Tourist Association filed a formal request with the International Gay and Lesbian Travel Association to host World Pride in 2012. In July, The Anti-Defamation League hosted StandWithUS’s Yossi Herzog speaking on gay rights in Israel and gay presence in the Israeli Defense Force. In August, the Jerusalem Post reported the Foreign Ministry is promoting Gay Israel as part of its campaigns to break apart negative stereotypes many liberal Americans and Europeans have of Israel.

Critique of “Pinkwashing” Practices
Scholars from various disciplines have criticized Israeli “Pinkwashing” propaganda and practices for its colonial nature. As Jasbir Puar pointed out, the nature of “Pinkwashing” is a process by which the Israeli state seeks to gloss over the ongoing settler colonialism of historic Palestine by redirecting international attention towards a comparison between the supposedly stellar record of gay rights in Israel and the supposedly dismal state of life for LGBTQ Palestinians in Occupied Palestine. Some specific practices of “Pinkwashing” are also considered the reproduction of classic Oriental trope, where Arab society, specifically Palestine, is portrayed as “backward and stagnant” due to its “barbaric, tribal, uncivilized and Islamic” nature. In the meantime, some Israeli activists also pointed out the hypocrite nature of Israel portraying itself as a gay-friendly society. In an interview with Haaretz, Palestinian Israeli activist Haneen Maikey indicated that LGBT community does not have real rights behind the seemingly tolerant image portrayed upon international stage. Haaretz also published a poll backing up Maikey’s statement, showing that 46 percent of the surveyed population see homosexuality as a perversion.

Critique of the term “Pinkwashing”
Prof. Alan Dershowitz, a frequent defender of Israel, has said that this term is used against Israel by "some radical gay activists" who are anti-semitic "bigots."