Influence Operations Against Israeli Economic and Security Interests Abroad
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A special joint publication by the Institute for National Security Studies and the Institute for the Research of the Methodology of Intelligence at the Israel Intelligence Heritage and Commemoration Center, February 2025
This article discusses influence operations aimed at harming Israeli economic and security interests in the international arena, with a focus on two case studies in the United Kingdom and Japan. In both cases, Elbit Systems was targeted for economic and strategic influence and damage. The article describes the operational methods used in the influence operations on social networks, which include coordinating between activist organizations and coordinated inauthentic behavior networks on social media. In addition, it proposes initial...
Foreign Interference and Iranian Influence on Social Networks in Israel
, David Siman-Tov
A Special Publication in cooperation between INSS and the Institute for the Study of Intelligence Methodology at the Israel Intelligence Heritage Commemoration Center (IICC), November 13, 2024
This article addresses the phenomenon of Iranian foreign interference in social media platforms in Israel during the years 2020–2022. Its aim is to examine and characterize the phenomenon, discuss its consequences, and propose policy addressing it. The study reveals that agents of foreign interference in the discourse on Israeli social networks do not favor a certain group or agenda in Israeli society; rather, they aim to deepen the rifts in Israeli society and weaken it. The article begins with a description of the main operations...
Iranian Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference During the Swords of Iron War
, Danny Citrinowicz
A Special Publication in cooperation between INSS and the Institute for the Study of Intelligence Methodology at the Israel Intelligence Heritage Commemoration Center (IICC), November 12, 2024
In recent years, Iranian actors have carried out a range of hostile influence operations as part of the Israeli public discourse, aiming to expand social and political rifts, create political tension and chaos, and encourage demonstrations and distrust of the government and its democratic institutions. Since the outbreak of the war in Gaza, the Iranian influence operations have focused on issues related to the war and the attempt to sow distrust and demoralization, incite violence against Arab citizens, and deeply penetrate the...
Arabic and English Antisemitism on Social Media Platforms Post-October 7: Analysis on Discourse and Prevention
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Special Publication, November 4, 2024
As the events of Hamas’s attack against Israel on October 7, 2023, unfolded on the ground and across social media, CyberWell’s monitoring technology quickly began to detect a surge of antisemitic content. In the 25 days following October 7, there was an 86% increase compared to the previous 25 days. Alarmingly, CyberWell’s technology also identified a significant shift in the Arabic discourse, moving from promoting traditional stereotypes of Jews, such as secret cabals controlling the world, to advocating for and justifying direct...
Russian Influence in Israel During the War in Gaza
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A Special Publication in cooperation between INSS and the Institute for the Study of Intelligence Methodology at the Israel Intelligence Heritage Commemoration Center (IICC), September 5, 2024
Since the outbreak of the war in Gaza, Russian agents have been carrying out hostile influence activities against the Israeli public, aimed to undermine public confidence in the actions of the Israeli army and harm the strategic alliance between Israel and the United States. These activities are part of a long-term information warfare that Russia is waging around the world, with the intent of strengthening its standing in the international arena at the expense of the United States and its allies. Russian agents have conducted...
Moving Beyond Cyber-Enabled Influence Operations
A Special Publication in cooperation between INSS and the Institute for the Study of Intelligence Methodology at the Israel Intelligence Heritage Commemoration Center (IICC), August 22, 2024
The emergence of the internet and the rise of cyberspace have led to the development of new methods of projecting power and exerting strategic influence, one of which is offensive cyber operations. This article examines the use of offensive cyber for influence operations in incidents in two case studies in Israel and Albania, which were attributed to Iran. The article includes a theoretical analysis of key concepts in offensive cyber operations and influence operations through cyberspace. It shows how ransomware operations can be...
“Pray for Na’ama” – Russian Information War Against Israel
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A Special Publication in cooperation between INSS and the Institute for the Study of Intelligence Methodology at the Israel Intelligence Heritage Commemoration Center (IICC), July 24, 2024
Introduction
On January 30, 2020, Na’ama Issaschar, a 26-year old Israeli-American backpacker, landed in Israel. She was accompanied by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who traveled to Moscow especially to bring her home. The only words she uttered were: “Thank you... I am still shocked.”[2] Her shock was understandable. She was arrested in April 2019 at a Moscow airport for allegedly possessing a minuscule quantity of drugs, for which she was sentenced to 7.5 years in jail. She was released after lengthy high-level...
Russian Influence Campaign Against Israel: Strategic and Cognitive Implications
, , David Siman-Tov
INSS Insight No. 1852, May 1, 2024
Since the October 7th massacre, Russia has stepped up its semi-covert disinformation attacks against Israel, as part of its global Doppelganger influence campaign, which began in 2022. These attacks align with Russia’s official stance, which has remained hostile to Israel in recent months. They signal a strategic shift in the Kremlin’s approach, by grouping Israel with countries it perceives as enemies. A policy shift by the Israeli government should reflect these dynamics and address the new risks to Israel posed by an increasingly...
Islamist “Civilian” Influence Campaign Targeting Israel
David Siman-Tov, , , Ofir Winter
A Special Publication in cooperation between INSS and the Institute for the Study of Intelligence Methodology at the Israel Intelligence Heritage Commemoration Center (IICC), April 2, 2024
In the context of the war in Gaza, a foreign influence campaign is flooding Israeli users of the social network X (formerly Twitter) with messages in Hebrew designed to promote Hamas’s objectives. The campaign is executed by a community of Arab Muslims from several countries and orchestrated by Egyptian activists affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood movement who operate from Turkey. Since the group seeks to recruit people to its efforts, it openly describes its goals and some of its action methods, allowing a rare “behind the...
Exposure Under Fire: Public Use of Intelligence in the Gaza War
INSS Insight No. 1826, February 14, 2024
Even during the war in the Gaza Strip, Israel uses public disclosure of intelligence as a tool for shaping the behavior of both sympathetic and hostile actors and audiences. These intelligence disclosures are usually reactive, intended to defend Israel and the legitimacy of its military actions and to protect sensitive sources. Given the centrality of intelligence-driven military operations for conveying messages and shaping reality in wartime, as well as the fact that this war began with Israel being in a disadvantageous position in...
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