Israel allocates more than $1 billion to worldwide propaganda effort

Since the Oct. 7, 2023 attacks, the Israeli government has spent over $1 billion on a coordinated propaganda campaign aimed at reversing a sharp decline in international support for its actions in Gaza. The effort focuses on the United States, the country that provides the bulk of Israel’s aid, after a July poll showed 60 % of Americans disapproved of Israel’s military occupation of Gaza, where more than 73,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have been killed.

Israel hired former Trump campaign manager Brad Parscale to run mass text‑messaging operations under front‑group names such as “Allies for Peace.” It also allocated more than $100 million to U.S. influence activities through foreign‑registered firms, with French advertising group Havas Media subcontracting U.S. public‑relations agencies. The campaign targets evangelical Christians, conservative voters and young Americans, employing social‑media posts, AI‑generated chatbot replies, and even data‑poisoning tactics to shape perceptions of the Gaza conflict.