Israel’s 'hasbara' overhaul raises questions over who is in charge - opinion

On July 12, a Knesset debate unfolded about Israel's National Public Diplomacy Directorate, commonly referred to as hasbara. The Knesset acknowledged that the issue had faced instability for years. Eden Bar Tal, the director-general of the Foreign Ministry, admitted that until late 2024, public diplomacy had been marginal to the ministry's mission, primarily focused on diplomacy.

From 2025, however, public diplomacy became the primary role of the Foreign Ministry, backed by a drastic budget increase from NIS 25 million to NIS 1.2 billion annually.

The overhaul is largely credited to Tzipi Hotovely, appointed to head the National Public Diplomacy Directorate in April after her ambassadorship in the UK. She has been instrumental in rebuilding the organization and implementing two significant promotion campaigns. However, the arrangement between the National Directorate and the Foreign Ministry's Public Diplomacy Department is complex.

Both bodies operate within policy fields that are closely intertwined, leading to questions about their respective responsibilities and the potential for confusion and rivalry.

Hotovely's National Directorate is a senior-level coordinating body within the PMO, while the Foreign Ministry operates its own Public Diplomacy Department. The latter is responsible for the day-to-day diplomacy abroad, media relations, digital outreach, cultural and scientific cooperation, and relations with Jewish communities. Importantly, it also administers the primary public diplomacy budget.

The arrangement has been described as coordination rather than command. The National Directorate convenes a national public diplomacy forum, and the Foreign Ministry's Department translates this into action through embassies and consulates. While this system may be complementary, it appears fragmented and lacks clear lines of authority, potentially leading to duplication, competing priorities, and uncertainty over accountability.

Hotovely's efforts to promote Israel's interests have been notable. In September, she led a major publicity campaign in New York ahead of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's UN General Assembly speech. In October, she promoted a film countering anti-Israel narratives, which gained considerable online traction. Despite these initiatives, the division of labor between the two bodies remains unclear, potentially posing risks of inefficiency and internal strife.