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Israel just quadrupled its PR budget to $730M. Experts say it won’t work.

JL;DR SUMMARY Israel is significantly increasing its public diplomacy budget to $730 million, quadrupling its previous allocation, in an effort to combat declining support, particularly in the US where polls show a shift towards unfavorable views. A way out west there was a fella, fella I want to tell you about, fella by the name of Jeff Lebowski. At least, that was the handle his lovin' parents gave him, but he never had much use for it himself. This Lebowski, he called himself the Dude. Now, Dude, that's a name no one would self-apply where I come from. But then, there was a lot about the Dude that didn't make a whole lot of sense to me. And a lot about where he lived, likewise. But then again, maybe that's why I found the place s'durned innarestin'.

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Tags

HasbaraSocial MediaUs Israel RelationsGaza ConflictGideon SaarPublic PerceptionPublic DiplomacyPolicyCredibility Gap

Places mentioned

Israel
"Israel is betting nearly three-quarters of a billion dollars that it can talk its way out of a reputation crisis."
Jerusalem, Israel
"Lawmakers in Jerusalem approved a 2026 national budget last month that includes roughly $730 million for public diplomacy"
New York City, New York, United States
"Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar holds up a copy of The New York Times as he speaks during a United Nations Security Council meeting at the United Nations headquarters on in New York City on August 5, 2025."
Los Angeles, California, United States
"Consul General Israel Bachar, Jerusalems top diplomat in Los Angeles since 2023, said in an interview that most of the money so far had gone into social media and delegations."
Maryland, United States
"said Shibley Telhami, a political scientist at the University of Maryland, who has surveyed American and Arab attitudes toward Israel for decades."
Tel Aviv, Southern District, Israel
"Similar concerns come from inside the pro-Israel branding world. Joanna Landau, founder of the Tel Avivbased Israel branding nonprofit Vibe Israel, has spent more than a decade flying international influencers to Israel on lifestyle-focused trips."

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Cairo Item ID 81082
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Retrieved 2026-04-29 18:00:29 UTC
Curated 2026-04-29 19:00:49 UTC