**Israel’s Covert Influence Campaign on U.S. Lawmakers Revealed**
Israel has been embroiled in controversy following revelations of a covert influence campaign targeting U.S. lawmakers and the American public. The campaign, orchestrated by Israel’s Ministry of Diaspora Affairs and executed by the political marketing firm Stoic, aimed to garner support for Israel’s actions during the war in the Gaza Strip.
Using fake accounts on social media platforms like X, Facebook, and Instagram, the operation sought to sway the opinions of key U.S. lawmakers, particularly focusing on Black Democratic representatives like Rep. Hakeem Jeffries and Sen. Raphael Warnock. The posts emphasized the importance of continued funding for Israel’s military efforts.
Key to the operation was the use of ChatGPT, an artificial intelligence-powered chatbot, to generate posts supporting Israel’s position. Additionally, the campaign established three fake English-language news sites to spread pro-Israel propaganda. Despite its efforts, the impact of the campaign was limited, with Meta and OpenAI taking action to disrupt it.
This revelation sheds light on Israel’s willingness to go to great lengths to shape American public opinion on the Gaza conflict. While the United States has traditionally been a strong supporter of Israel, recent calls for reassessment of this support in light of civilian casualties in Gaza have made such influence campaigns all the more significant.
The covert nature of this operation has raised concerns about foreign interference in U.S. politics. It is the first documented case of the Israeli government organizing such a campaign to influence American lawmakers. The sloppy execution of the campaign, with discrepancies in profile pictures and language use, highlights the challenges of conducting such clandestine operations effectively.
It remains to be seen what consequences, if any, this revelation will have on Israel’s relationship with the United States and other countries. The use of AI and fake personas in political campaigns underscores the evolving landscape of digital disinformation and propaganda in today’s interconnected world.
