The Digital Battlefield: Israel’s Influence Campaign and the American Response
In a rapidly evolving information war, the Israeli government has launched a sweeping digital influence campaign targeting American audiences — particularly Gen Z — through social media platforms and artificial intelligence. Documents recently filed with the U.S. Department of Justice reveal the scope and ambition of this effort, which Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has dubbed the “eighth front” of modern warfare.
The Esther Project: Influencers as Weapons
Central to this campaign is the “Esther Project,” a $900,000 initiative managed by Bridges Partners LLC, a firm formed in Delaware in mid-2025. The project recruits 14–18 American social media influencers, each reportedly paid $7,000 per post, to disseminate pro-Israel content across TikTok, Instagram, and X platforms.
During a meeting with influencers in New York, Netanyahu emphasized the strategic importance of social media, calling TikTok “the most important weapon being purchased right now”.
AI Manipulation and Media Partnerships
On September 30, Israel expanded its digital strategy by signing a $6 million contract with Clock Tower X LLC, a conservative tech firm tasked with manipulating AI models like ChatGPT to flood social media with hasbara — pro-Israel propaganda. The campaign aims to generate over 50 million monthly impressions by gaming search algorithms and leveraging platforms like Salem Media Network to obscure facts and shape global perceptions of the Gaza conflict.
That same day, the Israeli government allocated an additional $40 million to its Foreign Ministry for public diplomacy efforts related to the war in Gaza. Weeks earlier, Google entered a $45 million advertising deal with Netanyahu’s office to distribute videos denying the existence of famine in Gaza via YouTube and Display & Video 360. This comes despite the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification formally declaring a man-made famine in Gaza in August.
Google and Amazon also maintain a separate cloud computing contract with Israel — Project Nimbus — signed in 2021, which reportedly includes military services. Criticism of these partnerships has sparked backlash, including from UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese. In response, Google co-founder Sergey Brin labeled the UN “transparently antisemitic.”
Domestic Blowback and Legal Challenges
The campaign has ignited controversy in the United States. Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene took to X to demand that influencers paid by foreign governments register under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA), emphasizing that transparency is required by law — not antisemitism. “It’s not hateful to demand legal compliance,” she posted, citing FARA’s origins in 1938 as a safeguard against covert foreign influence.
Meanwhile, the FBI severed ties with the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), citing concerns over political bias and surveillance of conservative groups. This move followed the ADL’s inclusion of Turning Point USA on its list of organizations spreading antisemitism. Elon Musk weighed in, calling the ADL a “hate group” for targeting Christians.
ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt has previously drawn criticism for comparing Christianity to a virus and asserting that criticism of Zionism equates to antisemitism. These remarks have fueled growing skepticism about the ADL’s role in shaping public discourse.
Greene’s Warning and Political Fallout
On September 29, Greene posted a series of messages expressing fear for her life, linking her support for the Massie Epstein discharge petition to broader concerns about powerful interests. She emphasized her commitment to victims of sexual abuse and criticized both political parties for failing to expose the Epstein network. “I am not suicidal,” she wrote, urging the public to investigate any harm that might come to her.
Senator Ted Cruz responded dismissively, asking, “Why do crazy people keep thinking ‘the Jews’ are trying to kill them?” This sparked backlash from users on X, who accused Cruz of conflating criticism of foreign governments with antisemitism. One user replied, “Why don’t you sever ties with Israel and find out for yourself?”
The Bigger Picture: Subsidizing Influence Abroad
The controversy has reignited debate over U.S. financial support for Israel. With only 10 out of 535 members of Congress not receiving donations from AIPAC, critics argue that American interests are being sidelined. Israel remains the largest cumulative recipient of U.S. aid, while Americans struggle with student debt, unaffordable healthcare, and homelessness.
In contrast, Israel offers free education and healthcare and maintains a low homelessness rate. A unique agreement exempts Israel from paying for military acquisitions out of its national budget, a privilege not extended to other nations. One Israeli defense executive reportedly stated that paying for its air force would divert funds from essential services like health and education.
Silencing Dissent
Critics liken the ADL’s tactics to those of the Israeli Defense Forces in Gaza, where the scale of violence has desensitized global audiences, - 500 killed a day sparked outrage, 100 dead just a whisper. As the war fades from headlines, the ADL’s domestic efforts to suppress dissent mirror this strategy — gradually muting voices until even basic expressions of humanity are deemed unacceptable.
What’s unfolding here is a textbook example of modern information warfare. Israel’s use of influencers, AI manipulation, and massive ad buys isn’t just PR — it’s a calculated geopolitical strategy. The Esther Project and Clock Tower X campaign show how governments now weaponize platforms like TikTok and ChatGPT to shape public perception, especially among younger audiences. It’s not just about winning wars on the ground anymore — it’s about winning minds online.
The backlash against Marjorie Taylor Greene’s posts, and the ADL’s increasingly controversial role, suggest a growing discomfort with how dissent is being policed. Greene’s posts about fearing for her life and demanding transparency on Epstein are raw and unsettling. Whether one agrees with her politics or not, her call to expose powerful networks resonates with a public increasingly skeptical of elite immunity. The fact that her concerns were met with dismissive or sarcastic replies from other politicians only deepens the divide.
The severing of ties between the FBI and ADL is a seismic shift. It signals a broader reckoning with how watchdog organizations operate and whether they’ve become too politicized.
And the facts that Americans work multiple jobs and drown in debt, while our government receives AIPAC money and then subsidizing foreign propaganda and military aid with our money, - it’s not just a foreign policy issue — it’s a democratic integrity issue.
Author: Mel Reese
EMAIL ADDRESS:
melreese72[at]outlook[dot]com
In a rapidly evolving information war, the Israeli government has launched a sweeping digital influence campaign targeting American audiences — particularly Gen Z — through social media platforms and artificial intelligence. Documents recently filed with the U.S. Department of Justice reveal the scope and ambition of this effort, which Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has dubbed the “eighth front” of modern warfare.
The Esther Project: Influencers as Weapons
Central to this campaign is the “Esther Project,” a $900,000 initiative managed by Bridges Partners LLC, a firm formed in Delaware in mid-2025. The project recruits 14–18 American social media influencers, each reportedly paid $7,000 per post, to disseminate pro-Israel content across TikTok, Instagram, and X platforms.
During a meeting with influencers in New York, Netanyahu emphasized the strategic importance of social media, calling TikTok “the most important weapon being purchased right now”.
AI Manipulation and Media Partnerships
On September 30, Israel expanded its digital strategy by signing a $6 million contract with Clock Tower X LLC, a conservative tech firm tasked with manipulating AI models like ChatGPT to flood social media with hasbara — pro-Israel propaganda. The campaign aims to generate over 50 million monthly impressions by gaming search algorithms and leveraging platforms like Salem Media Network to obscure facts and shape global perceptions of the Gaza conflict.
That same day, the Israeli government allocated an additional $40 million to its Foreign Ministry for public diplomacy efforts related to the war in Gaza. Weeks earlier, Google entered a $45 million advertising deal with Netanyahu’s office to distribute videos denying the existence of famine in Gaza via YouTube and Display & Video 360. This comes despite the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification formally declaring a man-made famine in Gaza in August.
Google and Amazon also maintain a separate cloud computing contract with Israel — Project Nimbus — signed in 2021, which reportedly includes military services. Criticism of these partnerships has sparked backlash, including from UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese. In response, Google co-founder Sergey Brin labeled the UN “transparently antisemitic.”
Domestic Blowback and Legal Challenges
The campaign has ignited controversy in the United States. Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene took to X to demand that influencers paid by foreign governments register under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA), emphasizing that transparency is required by law — not antisemitism. “It’s not hateful to demand legal compliance,” she posted, citing FARA’s origins in 1938 as a safeguard against covert foreign influence.
Meanwhile, the FBI severed ties with the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), citing concerns over political bias and surveillance of conservative groups. This move followed the ADL’s inclusion of Turning Point USA on its list of organizations spreading antisemitism. Elon Musk weighed in, calling the ADL a “hate group” for targeting Christians.
ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt has previously drawn criticism for comparing Christianity to a virus and asserting that criticism of Zionism equates to antisemitism. These remarks have fueled growing skepticism about the ADL’s role in shaping public discourse.
Greene’s Warning and Political Fallout
On September 29, Greene posted a series of messages expressing fear for her life, linking her support for the Massie Epstein discharge petition to broader concerns about powerful interests. She emphasized her commitment to victims of sexual abuse and criticized both political parties for failing to expose the Epstein network. “I am not suicidal,” she wrote, urging the public to investigate any harm that might come to her.
Senator Ted Cruz responded dismissively, asking, “Why do crazy people keep thinking ‘the Jews’ are trying to kill them?” This sparked backlash from users on X, who accused Cruz of conflating criticism of foreign governments with antisemitism. One user replied, “Why don’t you sever ties with Israel and find out for yourself?”
The Bigger Picture: Subsidizing Influence Abroad
The controversy has reignited debate over U.S. financial support for Israel. With only 10 out of 535 members of Congress not receiving donations from AIPAC, critics argue that American interests are being sidelined. Israel remains the largest cumulative recipient of U.S. aid, while Americans struggle with student debt, unaffordable healthcare, and homelessness.
In contrast, Israel offers free education and healthcare and maintains a low homelessness rate. A unique agreement exempts Israel from paying for military acquisitions out of its national budget, a privilege not extended to other nations. One Israeli defense executive reportedly stated that paying for its air force would divert funds from essential services like health and education.
Silencing Dissent
Critics liken the ADL’s tactics to those of the Israeli Defense Forces in Gaza, where the scale of violence has desensitized global audiences, - 500 killed a day sparked outrage, 100 dead just a whisper. As the war fades from headlines, the ADL’s domestic efforts to suppress dissent mirror this strategy — gradually muting voices until even basic expressions of humanity are deemed unacceptable.
What’s unfolding here is a textbook example of modern information warfare. Israel’s use of influencers, AI manipulation, and massive ad buys isn’t just PR — it’s a calculated geopolitical strategy. The Esther Project and Clock Tower X campaign show how governments now weaponize platforms like TikTok and ChatGPT to shape public perception, especially among younger audiences. It’s not just about winning wars on the ground anymore — it’s about winning minds online.
The backlash against Marjorie Taylor Greene’s posts, and the ADL’s increasingly controversial role, suggest a growing discomfort with how dissent is being policed. Greene’s posts about fearing for her life and demanding transparency on Epstein are raw and unsettling. Whether one agrees with her politics or not, her call to expose powerful networks resonates with a public increasingly skeptical of elite immunity. The fact that her concerns were met with dismissive or sarcastic replies from other politicians only deepens the divide.
The severing of ties between the FBI and ADL is a seismic shift. It signals a broader reckoning with how watchdog organizations operate and whether they’ve become too politicized.
And the facts that Americans work multiple jobs and drown in debt, while our government receives AIPAC money and then subsidizing foreign propaganda and military aid with our money, - it’s not just a foreign policy issue — it’s a democratic integrity issue.
Author: Mel Reese
EMAIL ADDRESS:
melreese72[at]outlook[dot]com