Israel‘s far-right government, alongside its allies in the United States, is investing heavily in efforts to reshape its global image amid ongoing controversies surrounding military actions in Gaza. The Israeli foreign ministry just got an additional $150 million in donations. We know they will use this allocation to expand their PR campaign as the story progresses. This initiative occurs simultaneously with reports of severe restrictions on foreign journalists’ access to Gaza, raising concerns over transparency and the portrayal of events in the region.
The war has become increasingly severe, with calls from several NGOs and academia to define Israel’s warfare as genocide. Reports indicate that Israeli security forces have shot at civilians, including children holding makeshift white flags, while the Israeli government continues to conduct military operations that have devastated Gaza City. These intolerable acts and abuses have caused international outrage and demands for justice.
The Israeli government’s deep dependence on media and political support at the hands of the U.S. makes this mess of a narrative even stickier. Changing an elected official’s mind or swaying public opinion takes a lot of work. Tellingly, U.S. lawmakers and media often promote pro-Israel messaging with little prompt. This has opened up significant debate about the ethicality of such support—in particular considering the pro-tracted humanitarian crisis.
In August, Israel deliberately targeted the Al Jazeera reporting team in Gaza City. This incident returned the issue of journalist safety and press freedom to the forefront. The tragic loss of journalists in the region has drawn attention to the risks faced by those attempting to report from conflict zones. Israel’s military is still preventing foreign reporters from having access to Gaza. This severely constrains reporting on the still-evolving story.
The financial contributions from prominent figures, such as Larry Ellison’s $16.6 million donation to the Friends of the Israel Defense Forces in 2017, highlight the resources being allocated to bolster Israel’s image. Furthermore, in an unprecedented move, 250 American state legislators traveled to Israel for a conference titled “50 States, One Israel,” further solidifying political ties between the two nations.
Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs at work on a PR rebranding. To do this, they have teamed up with Stagwell Global, an American polling company established by Mark Penn. This new firm’s expressed purpose is to rehabilitate Israel’s global image through slick and well-funded strategic communication campaigns. SKDK, another agency originally involved in these efforts, has ended its work with Israel. They are currently in the process of deregistering as a foreign agent.
Moreover, as awareness about the representation of Palestine and Israelis in media grows, platforms like TikTok have been criticized for the spread of pro-Palestinian content. Lawmakers from both parties have been alarmed by this messaging and it has fueled the bipartisan push to see the platform sold.
Given the circumstances, professionals have called for increased accountability and ethical practices relating to the public’s perception. Omer El Akkad remarked on the future implications of these actions:
“One day, when it’s safe, when there’s no personal downside to calling a thing what it is, when it’s too late to hold anyone accountable, everyone will have always been against this.” – Omer El Akkad
Analysts point to the steep climb that Israel has in its war for public opinion. They see promise for the global perception of the country once order is restored. A report by Penn’s firm noted:
“Especially once the situation in Gaza is resolved, the room for growth in all countries [when it comes to Israel’s image] is very significant.”
The strategy employed by firms like SKDK involves a concept referred to as “flood the zone,” aiming to saturate media channels with messages that favor Israel’s narrative.
Critics say these propaganda tactics are shifting American attitudes about humanitarian disasters. Zoe Scaman articulated these concerns:
“Look how successfully opposition to child killing has been made to seem like extremism. The propaganda isn’t just changing minds – it’s breaking the mechanisms people use to process moral information. When reality itself becomes contested territory, systematic killing becomes just another political disagreement.” – Zoe Scaman
The relationship between media portrayal and government action makes a confusing and complicated environment for anyone trying to grasp the rapidly escalating war now occurring in Gaza. As these Israel rebranding efforts continue against a deepening backdrop of global condemnation and mounting humanitarian catastrophe, we don’t really know what Israel’s future image looks like.