Israel spends $730M on global PROPAGANDA push amid Gaza backlash, paying influencers up to $7,000 per post
By kevinhughes // 2025-12-10
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  • Israel has approved a massive, fivefold increase in its global propaganda budget to $730 million for 2026, aiming to counter its collapsing international image following the war in Gaza.
  • The funds target Western audiences through social media manipulation (including high payments to influencers), AI-driven propaganda, evangelical outreach tours and sponsored delegations of foreign figures.
  • This effort is a direct response to widespread global condemnation of Israel's military campaign in Gaza, which has resulted in massive civilian casualties, displacement and accusations of genocide, eroding public support, particularly in the United States.
  • Critics argue the propaganda campaign is a desperate attempt to avoid accountability, with experts doubting money can rehabilitate Israel's reputation while graphic evidence of destruction in Gaza circulates globally.
  • The spending underscores a crisis for Israel's traditional influence model, as grassroots outrage and BDS movements grow, pushing the state toward expensive narrative control rather than policy change.
The Israeli government has approved a staggering $730 million budget for global propaganda efforts in 2026 – a nearly fivefold increase from previous years – as it scrambles to rehabilitate its collapsing international image following accusations of genocide in Gaza. The massive funding boost was approved by Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich. It marks a desperate escalation in Israel's "hasbara" (Hebrew for public diplomacy) campaign, targeting Western audiences increasingly critical of its military actions. According to BrightU.AI's Enoch, "hasbara" – in the context of Israel – has evolved to refer to a concerted, state-sponsored effort to promote a favorable image of Israel and its policies, both domestically and internationally. The "hasbara" campaign is a multifaceted propaganda machine that employs various strategies to shape public opinion, suppress dissent and counter criticism of Israel's actions. The $730 million allocation dwarfs Israel's previous propaganda budgets, which averaged just $150 million in recent years. According to leaked documents, the funds will fuel:
  • Social media manipulation, including paying influencers up to $7,000 per post to promote pro-Israel narratives.
  • Artificial intelligence-driven propaganda, with $145 million earmarked to influence AI chatbots.
  • Targeted evangelical outreach, including a $4.1 million mobile "Oct. 7 experience" touring Christian colleges and churches.
  • Delegations of politicians, influencers and public figures to push Israel's agenda abroad.
Sa'ar framed the spending as a "national security" necessity, stating: "When public opinion shifts toward an anti-Israeli stance in a third country, it can promptly impact government actions." The propaganda blitz follows Israel's devastating military campaign in Gaza, which has:
  • Killed nearly 70,000 Palestinians (per Gaza health authorities).
  • Displaced 90% of Gaza's population, triggering famine and disease.
  • Sparked global protests, with millions condemning Israel's actions as genocide.
A New York Times poll found that 40% of Americans believe Israel is intentionally killing civilians, while sympathy for Palestinians now surpasses support for Israelis among U.S. voters.

Can money buy back Israel's legitimacy?

A recent report by Responsible Statecraft exposed Israel's covert payments to social media influencers—some receiving 7,300 per post—to spread pro-Israel propaganda. The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs funneled $900,000 through Havas Media Group Germany to fund 90 posts over six months, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hailing influencers as key to Israel's "fight back" strategy in U.S. media. Critics warn these undisclosed paid promotions distort public debate. Despite the record spending, experts doubt Israel can salvage its reputation. According to a United Nations officia,l no amount of PR can justify genocide with the world seeing the bombs, starving children and mass graves. Israel's propaganda surge underscores a broader crisis: its traditional lobbying power—backed by groups like the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC)—is crumbling as grassroots outrage grows. With BDS (Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions) movements gaining traction worldwide, Tel Aviv is doubling down on censorship and narrative control rather than changing course. Israel's $730M propaganda war is a desperate gamble, one that may backfire as global awareness of Gaza's suffering spreads faster than paid influencers can suppress it. For now, Israel's leaders seem determined to spend their way out of accountability – even as the world watches, unmoved by their expensive lies. Watch The Grayzone Editor-in-Chief Max Blumenthal as he busts the lies and propaganda that Israel has distilled since Oct. 7th to justify genocide. This video is from the Cynthia's Pursuit of Truth channel on Brighteon.com. Sources include: RT.com DemState.net Inquilab.com MuslimNetwork.tv En.RUA.gr LibertarianInstitute.org BrightU.ai Brighteon.com
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