Israel’s Disinformation Apparatus: A Key Weapon in its Arsenal

A new report by Al-Shabaka, authored by Tariq Kenney-Shawa, exposes the industrial-scale disinformation tactics employed by the Israeli government to justify its ongoing genocide in Gaza. The report highlights how Israeli propaganda, amplified by journalists and open-source intelligence (OSINT) analysts, has eroded truth and dehumanised Palestinians, enabling war crimes to be excused. Instead of challenging false Israeli narratives, many journalists and analysts have become complicit in these information warfare tactics, supporting Israeli state-sponsored disinformation that targets hospitals, civilians, and critical infrastructure under the guise of counterterrorism.

The report delves into the long-standing Israeli strategy of ‘Hasbara’, a state-sponsored propaganda effort aimed at shaping global perceptions and legitimizing Israeli policies. Kenney-Shawa emphasizes the urgent need for global actors—including civil society, the UN, and social media platforms—to counter this disinformation, hold media to higher journalistic standards, and amplify Palestinian voices. His recommendations urge greater media literacy, fact-checking, and international collaboration to challenge the manipulation of narratives.