'A triumphant failure': How Israel's use of social media influencers to win back support backfired

What Happened

The Israeli government has significantly increased its investment in public diplomacy, known as Hasbara, allocating a $730m budget to influence international public opinion regarding the ongoing conflict in Gaza. As part of this effort, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with American influencers in September 2025 to encourage the promotion of pro-Israel narratives. Documents filed under the US Foreign Agents Registration Act (Fara) indicate that Israel utilized contractors, including Bridges Partners and Havas Media Group Germany, to manage paid influencer networks, with some influencers receiving up to $7,000 per post. Additionally, former Israeli military intelligence captain Ella Kenan claimed to have coordinated a network of 60,000 influencers to disseminate content, while the Israeli foreign ministry funded tours for influencers associated with the MAGA movement through the nonprofit Israel365.

Key Actors

Why It Matters

The campaign reflects a strategic shift by the Israeli government to bypass mainstream media outlets and directly target younger demographics on social media platforms. Despite the substantial financial investment, analysts and survey data from the Pew Research Center suggest these efforts have struggled to reverse declining support for Israel among the American public, particularly as the perceived lack of authenticity in paid influencer content has generated public backlash.

Watch For

Monitor further disclosures regarding the 'Esther Project' and other state-funded PR operations, as well as potential shifts in US public opinion polling and the continued use of private contractors by the Israeli government to manage international information warfare.