Israel has been caught paying American social media influencers hundreds of thousands of dollars to promote its narrative and conceal its atrocities in Gaza.
Documents filed with the US Department of Justice under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) reveal that Israel paid influencers between $6,100 and $7,300 per post to promote pro-Israel content.
The investigation, first reported by Nick Cleveland-Stout in the magazine Responsible Statecraft, affiliated with the Quincy Institute, sheds light on Israel's perception management efforts in the US.
The Israeli government, through its "Esther Project," hired the US-based company Bridges Partners LLC, which in turn paid German media group Havas Media nearly $900,000 to execute a "Influencer Campaign" between June and November.
According to FARA records, the funds were used to pay 14-18 social media influencers to produce pro-Israel content. The influencers were not required to disclose their sponsorship, sparking outrage among some US lawmakers.
Republican Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene condemned Israel's efforts, stating that it is "disturbing" for social media influencers to secretly receive payment for propaganda without disclosing their sponsors. She emphasized that foreign countries like Israel must register under FARA when funding such activities.
The revelations come after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with social media influencers in New York and highlighted the importance of social media as a "new battlefield." Netanyahu stressed that social media influencers can play a crucial role in shaping public opinion and securing support for Israel in the US.
Netanyahu's comments took on a new significance in light of the recent exposé, which suggests that Israel is actively working to influence American public opinion through social media propaganda.
