In a significant move, Google has entered into a $45 million advertising agreement with the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The contract, finalized in late June, aims to disseminate government messages concerning Gaza, as revealed by government documents obtained by Drop Site News.
According to the Daily Caller, the six-month campaign leverages YouTube and Google's Display & Video 360 platform to circulate videos that refute claims of famine in Gaza. A notable video from the Foreign Ministry, stating, There is food in Gaza. Any other claim is a lie, has amassed over six million views, primarily through paid promotions.
The campaign is described in government contracts as "hasbara," a Hebrew term often associated with public relations or propaganda.
The advertising initiative was launched shortly after Israel announced a blockade on humanitarian supplies to Gaza on March 2. During a Knesset session that day, IDF spokesperson Avichai Edrei informed lawmakers of the potential to "launch a digital campaign in this context, to explain that there is no hunger and present the data."
In addition to Google, Israel has secured contracts with X for $3 million and Outbrain/Teads for $2.1 million, as reported by Drop Site News.
The documents indicate that these campaigns initially focused on "Operation Rising Lion," which supports Israeli airstrikes against Iran. Other efforts include an anti-UNRWA campaign, ongoing for nearly a year, as stated by diaspora ministry official Hadas Maimon.
Additionally, campaigns target the pro-Palestinian Hind Rajab Foundation, alongside advertisements promoting the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation.
Furthermore, Google and Amazon are reportedly involved in a separate cloud computing agreement with the Israeli government, known as Project Nimbus, signed in 2021, which encompasses military services. The campaign's narrative stands in stark contrast to UN assessments.
The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification formally declared a famine in Gaza governorate in August, asserting, this Famine is entirely man-made, it can be halted and reversed.
In a controversial stance, Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich expressed support for stringent measures, stating, In my opinion, you can besiege them. No water, no electricity, they can die of hunger or surrender.
Meanwhile, Google co-founder Sergey Brin reportedly criticized the UN as "transparently antisemitic" on an internal forum after UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese condemned Google's involvement in the conflict. The Daily Caller has reached out to Google for comment on these developments.
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