World Jewish Congress (WJC) President Ronald S. Lauder called for the creation of a $1 billion global media and public relations operation backed by the Israeli government and Jewish communities worldwide to combat what he described as an escalating wave of anti-Israel disinformation, antisemitism, and attacks on Western democratic values.
Speaking Tuesday at the Jerusalem Post Conference in New York, Lauder argued that Israel is “losing the information war” despite its military successes, while warning that false narratives, distorted reporting, and social media-driven propaganda are fueling growing hostility toward the Jewish state and Jews worldwide.
Lauder said the proposed operation should function independently in a dedicated facility with an annual $1 billion budget and operate around the clock with participation from both Israel and Diaspora Jewish communities.
“If you read the mainstream press,” Lauder said, “you must wonder how the only Jewish state has become the most hated nation on earth. That’s because every single day we are bombarded with lies, gross distortions, and outright malice.”
The billionaire philanthropist and longtime Jewish leader pointed to what he described as repeated false and widely amplified narratives surrounding the Israel-Hamas conflict, including incorrect reports blaming Israel for a Gaza hospital explosion later tied to a failed terrorist rocket launch, fabricated claims that 14,000 Gazan babies would die within 48 hours, and recent allegations published in a New York Times opinion column accusing Israel of training dogs to rape Palestinian prisoners.
“As good as Israel is militarily, that’s how bad it is on PR, and it’s losing the information war in the age of media-driven politics,” Lauder said. “Everyone has a computer in their pocket with the most vicious smears that will spread around the world and circulate instantly.”
Lauder warned that Israel could no longer afford to ignore what he described as a coordinated global propaganda battle targeting the Jewish state.
“Israel cannot afford to ignore its public relations. No country can survive without public relations,” he said. “For some reason, Israel is blind to this. Israel can’t afford to ignore it any longer.”
The World Jewish Congress president said Israel should establish a dedicated government-backed communications operation led by experienced media professionals rather than political figures.
“When Israel is hit with lies, Israel should hit back twice as hard,” Lauder said. “Its response should be furious. It should counterattack every single hour of every single day.”
Lauder added that Jewish communities worldwide should help finance and participate in the effort alongside Israel.
“The Jews of the Diaspora should partner with Israel in this PR fight,” he said. “Because in the end, it won’t be just protecting the Jewish state. We have a voice, and that voice must be heard.”
Lauder previously praised President Donald Trump for cutting federal funds to universities accused of tolerating antisemitism, while calling for the removal of what he described as “anti-Israel and antisemitic teachers and administrators” from American campuses.
Following the March attack on a synagogue and Jewish kindergarten outside Detroit, Lauder warned that such incidents are “not random events,” but rather “acts of terror aimed squarely at Western and Judeo-Christian values,” cautioning that “if leaders don’t act quickly, democracy and society as we know it are at risk of total collapse.”
Joshua Klein is a reporter for Breitbart News. Email him at jklein@breitbart.com. Follow him on Twitter @JoshuaKlein.