Israel is preparing to spend nearly three-quarters of a billion dollars on its propaganda arm as it seeks to counter a worsening global image shaped by the genocide in Gaza and regional wars, according to its national budget passed in March.
First reported by The Jerusalem Post, a total of $730m has been allocated to the national public diplomacy directorate, known by its Hebrew name Hasbara, which oversees Israeli propaganda.
The figure marks a sharp increase from the $150m set aside the previous year, which had already surged to roughly 20 times pre-2023 levels.
The scale of the spending points to an intensified effort to improve Israel’s international standing as negative perceptions grow, including in allied countries such as the United States.