Designated government information chief once led unit behind Telegram influence campaign

Reserve Lt. Col. Noam Shapira, who is slated to head Israel’s Government Information Headquarters, previously commanded the unit that created the Telegram page used in an influence operation targeting Israeli civilians after the October 7 attack, according to a Thursday morning report on Kan News radio.

Sources said a soldier under Shapira’s command operated the controversial channel, called "72 Virgins Without Censorship." The position Shapira is expected to fill has been vacant since January 2023, and the government exempted the appointment from a tender process earlier this month.

If appointed, Shapira would oversee a department of about 18 employees and a budget of 11 million shekels, in a post expected to last about six years. The Government Information Headquarters reports to the head of the national information system, former minister and ambassador Tzipi Hotovely, who was approved by the government in April.

The role is responsible for setting and implementing Israel’s public diplomacy policy, coordinating among bodies including the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit, Israel Police, Shin Bet and Mossad, and identifying intelligence material for information campaigns. Until January 2023, the post was held by attorney Gadi Ezra.

In response, Shapira’s office said that during the war the unit under his command carried out "countless high-quality and complex actions," all of which were reviewed and found to have been done in accordance with military orders and the spirit of the IDF. It added that soldiers and commanders in the unit received recognition and commendations from senior ranks.