Greenwashing and the Media: A Case of Israel

One of the defining characteristics of the contemporary world is the question of the climate crisis and how the world has been responding to it. The concern over climate change has prompted most to take serious note of the matter and praise those who attempt to mitigate the issue in varied ways. Israel in recent years has grabbed the world’s attention as one of the proactive actors in tackling the issue by investing heavily in areas like renewable energy, gas, water desalination and reuse, afforestation, alternative protein, etc. In COP 27 held in 2022, Israel’s participation was defined by its advocacy of green tech and promotion of climate tech companies. It is a deliberate state strategy, given that Israel happens to be one of the major arms exporters in the world. At the core of this strategy lies the media. It is only with the support of the media that Israel hopes for a successful greenwashing strategy. Ergo, the role of the media, national, regional, and international, is a vital variable, albeit not an independent one. While some media outlets are critical of this strategy of Israel, others have positively covered the country. Some have claimed that Israel “made bloom” in an otherwise desert. We investigate the issue of greenwashing as a concept and the role the media plays in it. More specifically, we look at the case of Israel and how the country has been using it as a shield to cover and divert attention from its abysmal human rights record.