March 5, 2026 • Israel
ISRAEL SCAMS INFLUENCERS - Israeli Propaganda Directorate being Sued by Unpaid Activists Claiming Millions - Full Infograph Inside
Israel's national public diplomacy directorate, which oversees Israeli propaganda, is being sued by companies and contractors for millions of shekels in unpaid work carried out since October 2023. Former official spokesperson Eylon Levy confirms he is also owed money but is not participating in the legal action.
📝 SMikhail
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2 Million
Shekels Demanded
Two private companies are collectively demanding two million shekels ($650,000) from the propaganda directorate for unpaid work, including providing studios for Israeli leaders and funding activism in Europe.
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1.5 Million+
Shekels Claimed by Intellect
A company called Intellect is demanding more than 1.5 million shekels ($487,000) from the Israeli prime minister's office for its work, which included funding flights for influencer activists to The Hague to operate against pro-Palestinian demonstrations.
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500,000+
Shekels for Studio Work
One company, which provided Prime Minister Netanyahu and former defence minister Yoav Gallant with a dedicated studio for interviews, is demanding more than half a million shekels ($160,000) for unpaid work.
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150 Million
Additional Shekels Allocated
In September 2025, the Israeli government approved an additional 150 million shekels ($49m) for propaganda efforts in the foreign ministry, on top of an existing 520 million shekel ($170m) budget.
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1 Million
Shekels for Settlements
In May 2025, the Ministry of Diaspora Affairs offered settlement municipalities up to a million shekels ($325,000) for conducting propaganda in Israel and abroad.
- Former employees of Israel's national public diplomacy directorate, which oversees Israeli propaganda, are demanding millions of shekels for unpaid work carried out since October 2023.
- The national public diplomacy directorate is being sued by companies and contractors who provided services in the first months of Israel's genocide in Gaza.
- Dozens of independent propaganda activists and contractors were hired after 7 October 2023 as the directorate was understaffed.
- Activists and influencers were often not formally employed by the state, but paid through private production companies, which a Calcalist report describes as a 'payment channel for those representing Israel abroad'.
- Contractors described the work arrangement as 'always messy', and the prime minister's office acknowledged 'irregularities in the contracting practices' as legal procedures are underway.
- Eylon Levy, a high-profile British-Israeli who served as an official government spokesperson until March 2024, stated he is owed money for his work with Israel's public diplomacy directorate.
- A spokesperson for Levy confirmed to Middle East Eye that he has grown tired of trying to get the money and is not participating in the lawsuit.
- Despite no longer working officially for the Israeli government, Levy, who was educated at London's University College School and the University of Oxford, has continued his propaganda work to this day.
- Levy recently posted on X, calling for the UK to expel the Iranian ambassador, referring to Iran as 'an enemy state'.
- Since October 2023, Israel's propaganda efforts have also been conducted by the foreign ministry and the diaspora ministry, which have both dedicated huge sums of money to distribute Israeli propaganda denying allegations of war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide.
- In September 2025, the foreign ministry received an additional 150 million shekels ($49m) for propaganda efforts, taken from the higher education budget, on top of a 520 million shekel ($170m) budget.
- The foreign ministry established a new public diplomacy directorate in September 2025 to employ bloggers and social media influencers, as propaganda efforts were seen in Israel as failing.
- In June 2024, it was revealed that Minister of Diaspora Affairs Amichai Chikli led a propaganda campaign that targeted US college campuses and sought to redefine antisemitism in US law.
- In May 2025, Chikli's ministry offered settlement municipalities up to a million shekels ($325,000) for conducting propaganda in Israel and abroad.
KEY QUOTES
"Private production companies became a payment channel for those representing Israel abroad." - Calcalist, Israeli daily
"The UK Government is in complete denial that Iran attacked Britain. It tried to kill British soldiers... Why does Iran even have an ambassador in the UK? It is an enemy state. Expel him." - Eylon Levy on X
Israel
propaganda
public diplomacy directorate
hasbara
lawsuit
unpaid work
Eylon Levy
Benjamin Netanyahu
Yoav Gallant
Calcalist
Middle East Eye
Intellect
Amichai Chikli
foreign ministry
diaspora ministry
The Hague
Gaza war
genocide
October 7
influencers
contractors
shekels