I'd like to clarify something about this term. Hasbara (הסברה, which really should be appropriately transliterated as hasbarah) is a common Hebrew word that translates as 'explanation'. In the context of a government, the more appropriate translation is 'communications'. All governments engage in this. When we agree with it, we call it 'communications' and when we disagree with it, we call it 'propaganda'. Either way, no government statement should be read uncritically. All government communications are politically interested and that should be a given. But whether we call it hasbara or communications or propaganda, it's crafted and selective. That doesn't mean it's all lies. All governments employ facts in interested ways, and this means when we disagree we call those statements distortions of truth. All governments out and out lie.
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