Several influencers, consultants, and media production companies are suing the Israeli government for millions of shekels, claiming they were hired to promote pro-Israel messaging during the Gaza war but were never fully paid for their work.
The lawsuits focus on Israel’s public diplomacy operation — known in Hebrew as “hasbara” — which intensified after the October 7, 2023 attacks and the start of the war in Gaza. According to reports, the Prime Minister’s Office and other government bodies quickly recruited private firms, influencers, and consultants to help run global messaging campaigns online.
Companies say millions are still unpaid
One of the main lawsuits was filed by Intellect Production and Publishing Group, which claims the Israeli government still owes it around 1.7 million shekels (roughly $500,000).
The company says it paid for travel, media production, and other operations connected to Israel’s public-relations campaign, including sending activists to The Hague during hearings at the International Court of Justice to counter pro-Palestinian protests.
Another firm, Speedy Call, says it is owed more than 600,000 shekels for building and running a studio used for interviews by Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The studio reportedly operated around the clock and hosted interviews with international media outlets during the war.
Influencers paid thousands per post
The legal dispute has also drawn attention to Israel’s broader social-media influence efforts. Documents filed under U.S. lobbying transparency laws showed that a campaign known as the “Esther Project” paid social media influencers thousands of dollars to promote pro-Israel narratives online.
Reports based on those filings suggest influencers could earn around $6,000–$7,000 per post on platforms such as TikTok and Instagram.
The campaign reportedly had a budget of about $900,000 and involved roughly 14–18 influencers producing dozens of posts aimed at shaping public opinion abroad.
Government response
Israel’s Prime Minister’s Office has acknowledged that irregularities occurred in the contracting process related to the public diplomacy directorate but declined to give further details because the cases are now before the courts.
The lawsuits are still ongoing and could cost the government millions of shekels if the courts rule in favor of the contractors.
