ABNA24 - Israeli sources reported that the Israeli regime has allocated a large budget to advertising and what is referred to as “public diplomacy.”
Israeli sources said an unprecedented budget of about $730 million has been earmarked for 2026 for advertising and the sphere known as “public diplomacy,” or “Hasbara”—a move aimed at repairing the regime’s damaged image in global public opinion, especially after the Gaza war.
Knesset approved this large budget in March. The figure is about five times last year’s budget ($150 million) and represents a significant jump compared with three years ago.
Gideon Sa'ar, the Foreign Minister of the Zionist regime, announced that Israel is engaged in a global battle for "hearts and minds"—a phrase that indicates an increasing reliance on propaganda tools alongside the continuation of military operations.
This budget is not limited solely to media campaigns; it also includes the creation of a central public diplomacy unit within the Foreign Ministry and the launching of a media operations room to monitor hundreds of media outlets and thousands of pieces of content related to the Zionist regime on a daily basis.
Furthermore, approximately $50 million has been allocated for digital advertising on platforms such as Google, YouTube, and X, while another $40 million is designated for hosting hundreds of foreign delegations, including politicians, academics, and religious leaders—a move aimed at expanding influence networks that support the Israeli narrative.
Hasbara; more than a media tool
Research studies show that “Hasbara” is not merely a propaganda instrument, but rather a complex system of media, diplomacy, and lobbying that operates with the aim of reproducing the Israeli narrative at the global level. By tailoring messages according to the target audience and utilizing digital influence techniques, this system seeks to shape public opinion in line with its objectives. According to surveys, a significant majority of Americans hold a negative view of this regime.
Shibley Telhami, a professor at the University of Maryland, emphasized that what is happening today represents an unprecedented shift influenced by the emergence of the “Gaza generation” among young Americans—a generation that views the policies of the Israeli regime as a serious violation of human rights.
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