Smotrich, Sa’ar approve NIS 2.35 billion in hasbara budget for campaigns, influencers in 2026

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Smotrich, Sa’ar approve NIS 2.35 billion in hasbara budget for campaigns, influencers in 2026
Gideon Sa'ar ((photo credit: FLASH90))

The budget will be used for campaigns to raise awareness and promote Israel worldwide, with NIS 1 billion already authorized by the government.

By Tobias Holcman, Reposted from The Jerusalem Post, December 06, 2025

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar agreed on a budget of NIS 2.35 billion for Israel advocacy campaigns, as part of the 2026 budget presented on December 05.

The budget will be used for campaigns to raise awareness for Israel worldwide. The government has already authorized NIS 1 billion.

“Alongside the budget increase, the government approved my proposal to establish a public diplomacy unit in the Foreign Affairs Ministry. Accordingly, a head of the public diplomacy unit will be appointed in the ministry, just as there is a head of the political unit. ‏The unit will coordinate the ministry’s work on the issue of publicizing,” Sa’ar said.

The budget will also be used, among other things, to fund social media campaigns, collaborate with civil society organizations, and bring delegations of leaders, elected officials, influencers, and others to Israel, the government said in a statement.

“Our enemies are investing huge sums against us in this. Israel has acted with very modest means and must now both increase resources and adopt new and up-to-date methods. The amounts approved are still modest in relation to the challenges that Israel faces in the world, but this is a significant breakthrough,” Sa’ar added.

Now the budget, which was already criticized by opposition figures like Yair Lapid (Yesh Atid), will need to be approved in the Knesset before becoming official.

NIS 112 billion in defense for 2026

One of the main points of the 2026 budget is a rise in defense spending, agreed between Smotrich and Defense Minister Israel Katz following negotiations. According to the draft, the final figure will be NIS 112 billion for 2026.

Israel has spent nearly NIS 100 billion in 2024 on its conflicts with Hamas and with Hezbollah in Lebanon, though ceasefire deals have been agreed upon with both terrorist groups.

Smotrich’s office said that the 2026 defense budget has increased by NIS 47 billion compared to 2023, on the eve of the war.

“We are allocating a huge budget to strengthen the army this year, but also one that allows us to return the State of Israel to a path of growth and relief for citizens,” Smotrich said, according to his office.

Tobias Holcman is a writer and editor on The Jerusalem Post’s breaking news desk.

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