Israeli State Comptroller Warns Iran Exploits Social Media to Deepen Social Divisions

The Israeli State Comptroller released a report on July 7, 2026, revealing that Iran and other hostile foreign actors have been using social media to intensify social divisions within Israel. The report highlights that in 2024, a foreign influence network named "Isnad" aimed to end the Gaza conflict under terms favorable to Hamas by swaying Israeli public opinion. This campaign involved thousands of messages disseminated by hundreds to a thousand fake profiles on the social media platform X.

Additionally, an Iranian campaign sought to establish the narrative that Israel is committing "genocide" in Gaza. Iran and Hezbollah reportedly sent approximately five million SMS messages to Israeli citizens, including false emergency alerts instructing immediate shelter entry, designed to incite public panic. The report notes that 56% of Israelis receive news via social media, making this digital influence particularly impactful.

The State Comptroller criticized the lack of coordinated government response, noting that relevant agencies, including the National Security Council, Shin Bet, the National Cyber Directorate, and others, have not sufficiently prioritized or updated their strategies against foreign digital interference. The Ministry of Justice’s 2019 guidelines on combating foreign influence, especially during elections, have not been revised despite significant technological advances.

Outgoing State Comptroller Matanyahu Englman warned that the upcoming 2026 elections present a heightened risk for malicious foreign activity, including the use of AI to create highly credible fake identities and content at scale. Englman stressed that without a structured governmental approach, these interference attempts could undermine state sovereignty and public trust in the democratic process.

The Central Elections Committee welcomed the report, acknowledging the ongoing threat of foreign influence beyond election periods and confirming that it is implementing the report’s recommendations to strengthen preparedness for the upcoming elections. The committee also emphasized the need to address the rapid technological developments and increased use of artificial intelligence in these interference efforts.