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Israel Accused of Promoting Islamophobia to Rebuild Western Support — AI-generated representative image: An official press conference setting, illustrating the subject of government public relations and political influence campaig

Editorial Team

How Israeli hasbara campaigns rally the far right and target Muslim communities amid declining global reputation

The Israeli government is increasingly accused of leveraging Islamophobia as a core element of its public relations strategy, aiming to shore up declining Western support by rallying far-right allies against what leaders describe as radical Islam. The campaign spans official rhetoric, influence operations abroad, and alliances with European far-right parties, according to an analysis published by Al Jazeera.

The trend has coincided with a visible rise in anti-Muslim hostility in the United States, including a shooting at a San Diego mosque and the abandonment of a proposed foot-washing station at a Texas airport.

The development matters because it links a foreign government to the intensification of anti-Muslim sentiment in Western countries, a shift that has real consequences for Muslim communities facing increased attacks and political exclusion. It also raises questions about whether such a strategy can actually reverse Israel's declining international standing or only deepen divisions within Western societies.

Key Developments

In January of this year, Israel hosted an anti-Semitism conference in Jerusalem attended by leaders from Poland's PiS, Spain's Vox, Hungary's Fidesz, and France's Rassemblement National, described as one of the largest gatherings of European right-wingers on the subject since the post-war era.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has continued promoting a narrative of an "invasion of radical Islam," recently warning that "the first Islamic republic with nuclear weapons will be the Islamic republic of Britain."
Netanyahu has campaigned for re-election under a billboard titled "Don't let them win" featuring the faces of Hezbollah and Iranian leaders alongside Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani.
A new "Sharia-Free America Caucus" has emerged in the US Congress, with one founding member describing Islam as "a religion of violence, abuse of women, and ruthless political conquest."

Background and Broader Context

The current wave of Islamophobia contrasts sharply with earlier efforts at inclusion. Following the September 11, 2001 attacks, President George W. Bush visited a mosque and declared that "Islam is peace." Such gestures have largely vanished from the Republican Party, replaced by rhetoric that critics say has inspired a spike in anti-Muslim violence.

In May, a shooting at the Islamic Center of San Diego killed two worshippers and a security guard. Separately, a proposal by Dallas Fort Worth International Airport to add foot-washing stations for Muslims performing wudu was abandoned after Texas Governor Greg Abbott condemned the installations as unconstitutional.

Some of the broader hostility reflects politics promoted by President Donald Trump since his 2015 campaign, which critics argue has targeted not only Muslims but also Black history and Hispanic culture. However, the analysis identifies a more targeted driver specific to Islamophobia.

Evidence of Coordinated Campaigns

A leaked study solicited by Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs from US public relations firm Stagwell Global reportedly found that the most effective tactic for shifting public opinion would be to drive fear of "Radical Islam" and "Jihadism." Netanyahu has since argued that Israel is a "model in the struggle against radical Islam which threatens the entire civilised world."

The strategy has included influence operations beyond Israel's borders. In Canada in 2024, an Israeli-government-funded campaign operating under the name United Citizens for Canada ran social media content claiming Muslim immigrants threatened society and were trying to impose Islamic law. Millions of Americans have also reportedly received automated text messages through Israeli-contracted Clock Tower X stating that "The US-Israel relationship promotes stability."

Current Status and Outlook

Some Western audiences have rejected the messaging. Recent primary victories by prominent Muslim congressional candidates such as Abdul El-Sayed have been framed as a cross-communal rejection of Islamophobic rhetoric. Yet Muslim communities in several countries report feeling increasingly under siege.

The analysis concludes that the campaign is unlikely to succeed in its primary objective of stemming Israel's loss of support, and warns that it may instead unleash further harm while posing a broader test for Western pluralism.