The revelation, based on recent Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) filings and reporting by Responsible Statecraft, has sparked fresh scrutiny over foreign influence in U.S. media and political discourse.

Speaking at a closed-door meeting with American influencers at the Israeli Consulate General in New York, Netanyahu defended the strategy in stark terms. "We have to fight back. How do we fight back? Our influencers," he said in recorded footage. "We cannot fight with swords anymore, that doesn't work very well. We have to fight with weapons that apply to the battlefields in which we're engaged in, and the most important ones are on social media."

Netanyahu's remarks underscore what many critics have long suspected: Israel sees social media as a critical front in its ongoing public relations war over its Gaza campaign and broader Palestinian policy.

The payments are part of a larger digital influence operation code-named the "Esther Project," which runs from June to November 2025. The campaign is managed by Bridge Partners LLC, a Washington D.C.-based firm contracted by Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The company bills Israel through Havas Media Group Germany, creating an added layer of operational opacity.

According to Responsible Statecraft, of the $900,000 allocated to the effort, approximately $552,946 has been used for direct payments to influencers between June and September 2025. With 75 to 90 posts made during this period, influencers are being paid between $6,143 and $7,372 per post on platforms such as TikTok and Instagram.

The "Esther Project" bears a curious resemblance in name to the Heritage Foundation's "Project Esther," launched in late 2024, which focuses on dismantling pro-Palestinian activism in the U.S. by labeling Israel critics as "terrorist sympathizers." While no formal connection has been confirmed, the overlap raises concerns about coordination between political, ideological, and state actors.