On July 12, the Knesset held a rare debate focusing on the work of Israel’s National Public Diplomacy Directorate, commonly referred to as hasbara. The session shed light on longstanding institutional challenges within Israel’s public diplomacy efforts, as acknowledged by officials involved.

Ben Bar Tal, director-general of the Foreign Ministry, admitted that until the end of 2024, public diplomacy had been a low priority within the ministry, which traditionally focused on conventional diplomatic activities. However, from the end of 2025, public diplomacy was formally elevated as a key element of the ministry’s mission under a permanent government resolution. Bar Tal described public diplomacy as now the Foreign Ministry’s primary role.

This shift in emphasis has been accompanied by a significant increase in funding. Bar Tal revealed that in previous years, annual spending on public diplomacy by the Foreign Ministry was approximately NIS 25 million to NIS 27 million. The current budget stands at roughly NIS 1.2 billion, reflecting an extraordinary boost.

The policy reversal coincides with the appointment of Tzipi Hotovely in April as head of the National Public Diplomacy Directorate, shortly after she completed a five-year term as Israel’s ambassador to the United Kingdom. Hotovely has focused on restructuring the directorate amid substantial organizational difficulties that she encountered upon assuming her position. Despite these challenges, she has initiated major promotional campaigns, including a September effort in New York ahead of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s address to the United Nations General Assembly. This campaign utilized approximately 500 billboards and multiple digital truck screens, highlighting messages on the Iran security threat, the U.S.-Israel partnership, and shared defense of the free world.

Another recent initiative led by Hotovely involved promoting a rebuttal film titled “NAZA – The Real Story.” The film counters claims made by a Venice Film Festival-winning documentary accusing Israel of deliberately targeting civilians in the Israel-Hamas conflict. Featuring testimonies from Israeli military personnel, the film has been made available online and reportedly garnered more than 43 million views as of mid-October.

The Knesset debate also exposed complex structural issues within Israel’s public diplomacy framework. Two entities bear similar designations in English: Hotovely’s National Public Diplomacy Directorate operates within the Prime Minister’s Office and is tasked with setting and coordinating government-wide public diplomacy policy across various bodies including the Foreign Ministry, Israel Defense Forces, intelligence agencies, and others. Meanwhile, the Foreign Ministry maintains its own Public Diplomacy Department, responsible primarily for overseas diplomacy, embassy support, media relations, cultural and scientific cooperation, and managing responses to campaigns such as Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS).

Bar Tal noted that the Foreign Ministry continues to control the main public diplomacy budget, adding a layer of complexity to coordination efforts. Currently, the relationship between these two bodies functions on a coordination basis rather than a command structure. The National Directorate convenes a government-wide forum to align public diplomacy efforts, while the Foreign Ministry translates these policies into action through its embassies and diplomatic missions.

Observers have highlighted the risk of operational overlap, unclear lines of authority, and competing agendas due to this fragmented arrangement. A former spokesperson for the National Public Diplomacy Directorate, Eylon Levy, told the Knesset committee that until recently, Israel’s adversaries had operated with impunity while the country’s public diplomacy efforts lagged behind.

Despite these challenges, Hotovely’s background in domestic politics, diplomacy, and international advocacy has been widely regarded as well-suited for rebuilding Israel’s hasbara apparatus. The Israeli cabinet unanimously approved her appointment, signaling broad governmental support for her initiatives.

Following recent national elections, many observers suggest that continuity in this leadership role would benefit Israel’s public diplomacy, which has been identified as a critical element in confronting regional and global challenges.