Israel must stop fighting itself and start winning the information war - opinion

OCTOBER 24, 2026 20:20At a time when Israel needs every ounce of creativity, expertise, and influence it can mobilize, the government is wasting energy on internal political attacks instead of building the national effort needed to defend Israel against enemies working daily to delegitimize the world’s only Jewish state.Israel is fighting on multiple fronts. Some are visible on the battlefield; others unfold on university campuses, in newsrooms, across social media and in foreign governments. Israel’s enemies understand that the battle for international opinion is no sideshow. It shapes Israel’s diplomatic room for manoeuvre, the legitimacy of its military actions and the willingness of allies to stand beside it.Yet while adversaries invest in coordinated messaging, digital networks and international mobilization, Israel’s response remains fragmented. Talented people work in silos. Initiatives compete rather than cooperate. Resources are dispersed, responsibility is blurred, and too often the response begins only after the damage has been done.This is more than an organizational failure. Why is so much energy spent defending a political monopoly and conducting smear campaigns when Israel needs a national strategy for the information battlefield?Why have Israel’s extraordinary ingenuity, technological capability and human talent not been mobilized with equal urgency on the information front? Instead of welcoming expertise, innovation and independent voices, the political establishment appears determined to control who speaks for Israel, treating initiatives outside its orbit as competitors rather than allies.OFER WINTER speaks at the launch of the People of Israel party in Jerusalem. (credit: CHAIM GOLDBERG/FLASH90)The treatment of our party, People of Israel, illustrates the concern. When Israel should encourage every serious initiative capable of strengthening its international standing, defending political territory risks taking precedence over national security.Israel needs credible voices able to reach audiences official representatives cannot; professionals who understand digital communication and media; entrepreneurs developing new tools; and partners in the Jewish world and beyond. Credibility depends on authenticity, which cannot be manufactured through political control.Information war operates alongside the battlefieldOne of the main reasons I joined Ofer Winter and the People of Israel party is that Winter is the only general I have met who understands that the information battlefield operates alongside the kinetic battlefield – and that both are matters of national security.The answer is not simply to spend more money. Resources distributed across disconnected bodies can generate activity without results. Israel needs a unified national framework that turns existing capabilities into a coordinated strategic force.The People of Israel party proposes establishing a National Command for Strategic Narrative and Public Diplomacy, led by Yoseph Haddad. It would coordinate government bodies, communications professionals, technology experts, independent organizations, and international partners, while respecting institutional responsibilities and operational security.Its mission would go beyond responding to controversies. It would monitor emerging narratives, anticipate information crises, develop proactive campaigns, mobilize credible international voices, and assess whether communications influence understanding and behavior.The Foreign Ministry, Government Press Office and IDF Spokesperson’s Unit would remain essential. But they should form part of a broader national capability, rather than carry the burden alone.The command must be led by experienced professionals chosen for expertise, judgment and results – not political loyalty. Public diplomacy needs its own generals: people who understand international media, audience psychology, digital platforms and narrative warfare.International opinion affects Israel’s diplomatic relationships and its leaders’ freedom of action. Hostile narratives can spread faster than official corrections. Jewish communities and Israel’s supporters are left answering allegations without timely information or coordinated support. Meanwhile, internal disputes consume energy that should be directed toward those undermining Israel abroad.The irony is painful. Israel has world-leading capabilities in intelligence, cybersecurity, technology and crisis response. It knows how to identify threats, assemble expertise and act urgently when the stakes demand it. The challenge is to apply that seriousness to the information battlefield – and recognize that no political office can own all the talent required to succeed.The government must decide what it wants to protect: its monopoly over the national message, or Israel’s ability to defend itself in the world.Israel cannot afford to turn the defense of its international standing into another arena for domestic political competition. The country’s resources and ingenuity should be directed outwards: countering hostile propaganda, strengthening alliances and making Israel’s case to the world.The government’s responsibility is not to monopolize Israel’s voice. It is to ensure Israel has the strongest possible voice. Until that distinction is understood, we will keep fighting over who controls the effort while our adversaries exploit the vacuum.The information war will not wait for our politics to catch up.The writer is an Israeli politician, diplomat, and former Jerusalem city council member and deputy mayor (2016–2024). She currently serves as Israel’s special envoy for trade and innovation at the Foreign Ministry. She is also a candidate for the 26th Knesset as part of the People of Israel list.Follow us on Google