Cognitive Warfare

What can be learned from two influence operations aimed at economically and strategically harming Israeli assets?

The analysis of Iranian interference in social networks in Israel highlights the lack of systemic treatment of this phenomenon. Therefore, what are the recommended actions and policies that government ministries and civil society should develop to address this challenge?

Sowing demoralization among the public, incitement to violence, and attempts to penetrate deeply into the discourse surrounding the issue of the hostages: Iran’s hostile influence operations in the digital space took a turn on October 7th. What do these operations look like—and how can Israel confront the threat?

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 violence against the Jewish people. In this article, we present our findings and critical recommendations for both social media platforms and governments on how to address the clear danger posed by unchecked Jew-hatred, violent speech, and hateful rhetoric to national security and the safety of minority groups around the globe.