Israel to pour $730m into propaganda arm amid reputational crisis
Israel is preparing to spend nearly three-quarters of a billion dollars on its propaganda arm as it seeks to counter a worsening global image shaped by the genocide in Gaza and regional wars, according to its national budget passed in March.
First reported by The Jerusalem Post, a total of $730m has been allocated to the national public diplomacy directorate, known by its Hebrew name Hasbara, which oversees Israeli propaganda.
The figure marks a sharp increase from the $150m set aside the previous year, which had already surged to roughly 20 times pre-2023 levels.
The scale of the spending points to an intensified effort to improve Israel’s international standing as negative perceptions grow, including in allied countries such as the United States.
Israel has been widely accused of genocide in the Gaza Strip, where its forces have killed and injured more than 250,000 Palestinians since October 2023 and starved 2.3 million people. The country has also been accused of creating an apartheid system in the occupied West Bank.
Israel has additionally drawn criticism for belligerent acts in Syria, Lebanon, Qatar and most recently the wars on Iran.
Earlier this year, Israel faced intensifying scrutiny over links to convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, who has been suspected of ties to Mossad. Israel has denied the accusations.
Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is wanted by the International Criminal Court for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza, while Israel confronts genocide charges at the International Court of Justice.
In the US, Israel's closest ally, Israel has been accused of drawing Washingon into the war with Iran, which triggered global economic disruption.
A Pew Research Center poll published in April found that 60 percent of Americans now view Israel unfavourably, a sharp rise over the past year, while favourable views have dropped to 37 percent.
The shift cuts across political and religious lines. Among Republicans under 50, a majority now hold negative views of Israel. Support has also fallen among Black Protestants, Catholics and the religiously unaffiliated. Even among American Jews, backing has slipped below two-thirds.
'Creeping economic boycott'
Alongside the budget increase, Israel’s foreign ministry has expanded its messaging apparatus. Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar has overseen the creation of a dedicated unit tasked with shaping international narratives.
The government has committed tens of millions of dollars to digital campaigns, including a $50m social media advertising push across major platforms. It has also spent around $40m hosting hundreds of foreign delegations, ranging from politicians and clergy to influencers and university leaders.
A centralised “media war room” now tracks coverage across hundreds of outlets and monitors thousands of daily references to Israel.
The campaign extends into political consulting and targeted outreach. The foreign ministry signed a $1.5m-a-month deal with a firm linked to former Donald Trump strategist Brad Parscale to deploy artificial intelligence tools online.
Additional funds have been directed towards evangelical networks and influencer campaigns run through private PR firms.
The surge in spending coincides with growing alarm within Israel’s policy circles over deepening isolation.
A recent paper by researchers at the Institute for National Security Studies in Tel Aviv warned that Israel faces diplomatic and public opinion isolation at levels “not seen since its establishment”.
The report highlights what it describes as a “creeping economic boycott”, with businesses and academic institutions increasingly avoiding ties with Israel.
Researchers urge the government to intensify engagement with diaspora Jewish communities and Christian Zionist networks.
Proposals include expanding youth travel programmes to bring tens of thousands of young Jews and Christians to Israel each year, alongside efforts to strengthen influence within higher education.
The paper also calls for a $100m fund to boost Israeli research and recommends inviting leaders from top global universities to visit Israel, with the aim of reinforcing institutional ties.
This article was sourced from Middle East Eye.
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