‘Israel’ approves massive funding boost for Hasbara
Note: AI technology was used to generate this article’s audio.
- ‘Israel's’ Finance and Foreign Ministers approved a NIS 2.35 billion (roughly $630 million) allocation for global "public diplomacy" (hasbara) campaigns in the 2026 budget.
- The funding, described by Foreign Minister Gideon Saar as "investing in consciousness warfare," will support digital campaigns and international delegations.
‘Israeli’ Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and Foreign Minister Gideon Saar have agreed on a NIS 2.35 billion allocation for hasbara, or what is called “public diplomacy” campaigns, as part of the 2026 budget.
This funding, equivalent to roughly $630 million, marks a dramatic increase in resources dedicated to advocating ‘Israel's’ positions worldwide.
The budget, which includes NIS 1 billion already authorized by the government, will support a range of measures to promote ‘Israel’ on the global stage.
Key activities include social media campaigns, partnerships with civil society organizations, and hosting delegations of international leaders, elected officials, and influencers in ‘Israel’.
Saar said that the programs will incorporate advanced technologies, digital strategies, and creative communication to counter adversarial narratives effectively.
The ‘Israeli’ government will also establish a dedicated “public diplomacy unit” within its foreign ministry, which will coordinate all hasbara efforts.
“The investment in consciousness warfare is like investing in airplanes, bombs, and interceptors," Saar said, describing the increased funding as a “breakthrough”.
Critics label it as an effort to whitewash war crimes in Gaza, which has sparked fierce opposition for two years and changed the public opinion massively, as over 70,000 were killed in the besieged strip.
Domestic critics, including opposition leader Yair Lapid, have condemned the overall 2026 budget, of which hasbara is a key component, as "crushing the middle class" through tax hikes and increased living costs, potentially adding NIS 1,000 monthly to working families' expenses.
Lapid highlighted how the budget sustains NIS 60 billion annually for ultra-Orthodox (Haredi) tax exemptions and 15 unnecessary government ministries.
