Israel bets on MAGA influencers to win over US youth

L'Orient-Le Jour

6 days ago

Israel's Foreign Ministry plans to fund a visit for figures aligned with the Make America Great Again (MAGA) and America First movements, according to the Israeli daily Haaretz.
These conservative groups represent a key part of President Donald Trump's base.
In order to counter what authorities consider a decline in support for Israel among young Americans, the tour will bring together 16 U.S.-based social media personalities under the age of 30, each with several hundred thousand to several million followers.
The ultimate goal is to encourage the spread of pro-Israel messages in line with government.
The contract has been awarded to the NGO Israel365, which will receive 290,000 shekels (about $86,000). The organization was selected because of its "unique position to advocate a pro-Israel vision close to the MAGA and America First movements."
Founded in 2012, Israel365 promotes support for its state on "spiritual, biblical, and political" grounds.
Its website states that it "unequivocally defends the divine right of the Jewish people to all of the land of Israel." The two-state solution is described there as a "delusion." The NGO says its mission is to "protect Western civilization against the dual threat of left-wing extremism and global jihad."
According to Haaretz, ties between Israel365 and the MAGA movement have only grown stronger since the Hamas attacks in October 2023.
This project is expected to mark a major turning point in the way the Israeli state communicates with the American public, according to the daily. The objective is now to reverse the trend and leverage the huge audiences of young influencers to bolster Israel's image in the United States.
"While older Republicans remain supportive of Israel, positive views of Israel are declining across all younger age groups," sources from the Foreign Affairs Ministry told Haaretz. These officials acknowledge the effectiveness and impact of influencers on young people, stating that "their networks are immensely successful and their messages are more effective than if they came directly from the ministry."
A strategy that has already proven successful during the recent 12-day conflict between Israel and Iran in June.
Pro-Israel messages were viewed 1.8 billion times online, thanks in particular to social media influencers who have millions of followers. The Foreign Affairs Ministry has set a goal of bringing 550 delegations of influencers to Israel by the end of 2025 to continue this work.