Israel releases video of women soldiers being taken hostage by Hamas on Oct. 7
USA TodayMAY 15 2024
Report: Israeli Social Media Influence Campaign Allegedly Targeted US Lawmakers
Above: United States House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries speaks during the March for Israel on the National Mall on November 14, 2023 in Washington, DC. Image copyright: Chip Somodevilla/Staff/Getty Images News via Getty Images
The Facts
A report from The New York Times alleges that Israel's Ministry of Diaspora Affairs spent $2M on a social media influence campaign that encouraged US lawmakers to support Israel's war in Gaza.
Citing four current and former Diaspora Affairs officials, the report claims the ministry hired the marketing firm Stoic to create hundreds of accounts posing as Americans — primarily targeting Black and Democratic lawmakers.
Last week, Meta and OpenAI announced the removal of 510 Facebook and 32 Instagram accounts that reportedly originated in Israel and were run by Stoic, with OpenAI saying those accounts used AI tools to produce pro-Israel and anti-Hamas content.
The Spin
Pro-Israel narrative
Any alleged influence efforts at all wouldn't be necessary if Israel's allies grasped the unfair, toxic environment Israel is facing. Too many in the West are sympathizing with Hamas over Israel because of their moral failings and pro-Hamas social media influence. No connection to this alleged campaign is confirmed, but from a broader perspective, Israel has every right to conduct a robust public information campaign to ensure its survival.
Pro-Palestine narrative
Now we know for certain that Israel is brazenly attempting to influence US politicians for the sake of its own interests. Israel and pro-Israel lobbying groups are increasing their efforts in desperation because of the unpopularity of the country's war in Gaza. This is an egregious violation of US national security — a foreign influence that wouldn't be tolerated if it were from any other country.