Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu this week acknowledged the role of social media influencers in shaping narratives about Israel abroad — and documents show just how much money is at stake.
At a meeting on Friday, Netanyahu referred to a “community” of influencers, telling participants, “We have to fight back. How do we fight back? Our influencers… they are very important.”
$7,000 per post
According to documents filed under the U.S. Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA), influencers hired to post pro-Israel content are being paid between $6,143 and $7,372 per post on platforms such as TikTok and Instagram.
Invoices reviewed show that Bridge Partners, a firm working with Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, billed Havas Media Group Germany a total of $900,000 for an “Influencer Campaign” running from June to November.
The campaign budget covered both production costs and direct influencer payments. After legal, banking, and marketing expenses, about $552,946 remained to pay influencers between June and September. Based on the expected 75–90 posts, the per-post payout averages close to $7,000.
The “Esther project”
The initiative is officially titled the “Esther Project.” However, it is not clear whether it has any link to the Heritage Foundation’s separate “Project Esther,” which combats criticism of Israel by associating detractors with terrorism.
Bridge Partners is co-owned by Yair Levi and Uri Steinberg, and also works with former Israeli Defense Forces spokesperson unit major Nadav Shtrauchler. For legal support, the firm has enlisted Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, previously known for representing Israeli spyware firm NSO Group.
Who are influencers?
The exact identities of the influencers remain undisclosed. Neither Havas Media Group nor Bridge Partners have commented on who is being paid or how the funds are distributed.
What is clear, however, is that the campaign is designed to push pro-Israel narratives in the U.S. media landscape through paid social media endorsements.
