The Israeli government is reportedly running a vast network of fake social media accounts to promote its actions in Gaza and spread anti-Muslim messages on various platforms.
Following the recent conflict in Gaza, Israel has revived a controversial program now called Voices of Israel, which was initially known as Kela Shlomo. This initiative aims to influence public opinion in the US and Europe and previously collaborated with groups supporting “anti-BDS” laws. These laws penalize Americans who participate in boycotts or non-violent protests against Israel, according to an investigative report by The Guardian.
The Israeli government has used the program to suppress student protests, human rights organizations, and other dissenting voices, the report revealed.
Recently, Haaretz and the New York Times reported that the ministry led by Amichai Chikli hired a public relations firm to lobby American lawmakers secretly. This firm allegedly used hundreds of fake accounts to post pro-Israel or anti-Muslim content on social media platforms like X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, and Instagram. While the diaspora affairs ministry denied involvement in the campaign, reports suggest it provided about $2 million to an Israeli firm for these posts.
This effort is just one of many such campaigns organized by the ministry, which has received limited media attention. The ministry of diaspora affairs and its partners compile weekly reports based on information from pro-Israel US student groups, some of which receive funding from Israeli government sources.
