Marketing the Occupation // Apartheid Genocide:
Israeli Hasbara and the Brainwashing of America
Most Americans have never heard of Hasbara—the Israeli government’s official global propaganda and influence program—yet they are targeted by it every day. At $730 million, the 2026 budget is more than 11 times what it was in 2023. Hasbara fuses traditional PR with AI‑driven digital psy‑ops, coordinated social‑media manipulation using chatbots—including a $145 million foreign‑ministry campaign to influence AI tools like ChatGPT—paid “grassroots” influencers, and church‑targeted initiatives that push Israeli‑aligned narratives on congregants’ cell phones without disclosure. These tactics brainwash the public, suppress free speech, silence dissent, drive hatred of Palestinians, and manufacture the illusion of public consent for pro-Israeli policies. For many, the truth will be shocking—and that shock is overdue.
Watch the curated videos included in the registration confirmation email at your convenience ahead of the discussion. Join the Q&A discussion with:
Lama Nazeeh: Advocacy Manager at 7amleh, Palestinian lawyer and human rights advocate
Nick Cleveland-Stout: Research Associate, Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft
Bryce Greene: organizer, student, and writer based in Bloomington, Indiana
Omar Zahzah (Moderator): Assistant Professor, AMED Studies, San Francisco State University
Register at Tinyurl.com/VFHL-August2026
Watch a short trailer at Tinyurl.com/VFHL-August2026Trailer
Co-Sponsors
7amleh - The Arab Center for the Advancement of Social Media
SUPPORTER Organizations: Palestine Justice Network - Presbyterian Church U.S.A. ♦ Gaza in Context ♦ Palestinian Christian Alliance for Peace ♦ Quaker Palestine Israel Network ♦ Unitarian Universalists for Justice in the Middle East ♦ Indiana Center for Middle East Peace ♦ Disciples of Christ Palestine-Israel Network ♦ Washington Report on Middle East Affairs ♦ Mennonite Palestine Israel Network ♦ Friends of Sabeel North America ♦ Center for Jewish Nonviolence ♦ Episcopal Peace Fellowship Palestine Justice Network ♦ Northern New Jersey Jewish Voice for Peace ♦ United Church of Christ Movement for Palestine Solidarity ♦ US Lutheran Palestine Israel Caucus ♦ Churches for Middle East Peace ♦ Kairos Puget Sound Coalition ♦ Pax Christi USA ♦ Jewish Voice for Peace – San Diego ♦