Not So Marginal After All: How Israel Lost the Battle for Public Opinion

The article reviews the failures of Israel's hasbara (public diplomacy) apparatus since the start of the "Swords of Iron" war, focusing on the absence of a director for about two years, the dismantling of the Ministry of Public Diplomacy, frequent spokesperson changes, and delays in responding to high-profile events such as the death of Hind Rajab, which led to the entrenchment of negative narratives against Israel on the international stage. The article describes how the Ministry of Public Diplomacy, established in early 2023 for Minister Galit Distel-Atbaryan, was dismantled shortly after the war broke out, and that the position of director of the national public diplomacy apparatus remained vacant for about two years, until the appointment of Tzachi Hanegbi in April 2026. It also describes spokesperson changes, recruitment of foreign spokespeople, and budgetary difficulties. The article notes that the gap between the speed of events and the pace of the Israeli response was evident in incidents such as the death of Hind Rajab and the killing of WCK workers.