Israel Boosts Public Diplomacy Budget to Counter Image Damage

(MENAFN) The Israeli cabinet has approved an enormous allocation of 2.35 billion shekels (nearly $729 million) for “public diplomacy” in the upcoming fiscal plan, marking a nearly five-fold increase in efforts to repair the country’s severely tarnished reputation.

On Sunday, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar unveiled a newly formed Public Diplomacy Division within his ministry during a conference in Jerusalem. He described the initiative as a “significant strategic decision,” emphasizing that “when public opinion shifts toward an anti-Israeli stance” in another nation, it can have a “prompt” effect on governmental measures.

Sa’ar further explained, “The second decision is the approval of a budget of 2.35 billion shekels (of which one billion shekels is authorized) for the battle for public awareness and the promotion of Israel’s image worldwide. The concept that the battle for public awareness is part of national security was fundamental to this decision.”

In the previous year, Israel spent around $150 million on public diplomacy, a sum 20 times greater than the average expenditure of prior years.

The draft budget received cabinet approval last Friday after prolonged and intense negotiations.

The overall budget totals approximately 662 billion shekels and will now advance to its initial plenary reading. It must be passed before the end of March 2026; if not, the Knesset will automatically dissolve, triggering early elections.

Israel’s global standing has suffered significantly due to the Gaza conflict, sparked by the October 2023 surprise assault on southern Israel by the Palestinian militant organization Hamas, which resulted in 1,200 fatalities.

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