In an unprecedented move, Israel orchestrated and funded an influence campaign targeting U.S. lawmakers and the American public with pro-Israel messaging to garner support for its actions during the war in Gaza last year. The campaign, commissioned by Israel’s Ministry of Diaspora Affairs, allocated $2 million to hire Stoic, a political marketing firm in Tel Aviv, to carry out the covert operation. Utilizing fake accounts on platforms like X, Facebook, and Instagram, the campaign focused on U.S. lawmakers, particularly Black Democrats, to urge continued funding for Israel’s military.
The connection between the Israeli government and the influence operation was revealed by four current and former members of the Ministry of Diaspora Affairs and verified through documents. Meta and OpenAI disrupted the operation, which targeted key members of Congress and created fake English-language news sites to spread pro-Israel propaganda. Despite the campaign’s efforts, Meta reported that it did not have a widespread impact, with many of the followers being bots. The operation, which involved the use of AI through ChatGPT, marks the first documented case of the Israeli government organizing a campaign to influence the U.S. government.
The involvement of Israel in the covert influence campaign has sparked controversy, with social media experts deeming it irresponsible and ineffective. The Ministry of Diaspora Affairs denied any involvement in the operation, disavowing any connection to Stoic. While similar government-backed campaigns are not uncommon, they are usually challenging to prove. The sloppy execution of the campaign, including mismatched profile pictures and stilted language in posts, highlights the questionable tactics employed by the operation. Despite efforts to promote pro-Israel sentiments through fake personas and news sites, Meta and OpenAI have taken steps to remove accounts tied to the influence campaign.
