Israel Seeks Friends Through Myspace Page

A 58-year-old Jerusalem woman is not a typical MySpace user - the hugely popular social networking site is inhabited mostly by people at least 30 years younger.

But the profile she is reading is a profile with a difference: it represents the entire state of Israel. Officials hope that running a MySpace page dedicated to Israel will help improve relations with people from other countries, and increase awareness and communication with those under 35.

The idea belongs to David Saranga, a diplomat based at the Israeli consulate in New York. Mr Saranga said research had shown Israel's image among the young was not good, and that by reaching out through one of the internet's most popular sites he could repair some of the damage.

"We saw that we had a problem with the 18 to 35 age group. The reason is that this group doesn't see Israel as relevant.We have to talk to them in their language, in platforms they are using, and the new media is one of the ways to do so," he said.

The page is particularly targeted at young Americans, who make up a large proportion of MySpace users. Since Mr Saranga set up the page, "Israel" has gained 963 friends from around the world, including fictional characters such as TV secret agent Jack Bauer and Star Wars heroine Princess Leia, as well as, it is claimed, the Hollywood actors George Clooney and Leonardo Di Caprio.

The pages include pictures of Israeli cities, as well as music that invites the audience to question the cycle of violence and to "end this holy war". Among Mr Saranga's other initiatives are a blog called "isRealli" and an internet TV station.