NEW YORK, United States โ World Jewish Congress President Ronald S. Lauder has called for the creation of a new global news and public relations organization backed by a $1 billion budget, arguing that Israel’s greatest strategic weakness today is not military capability but its inability to effectively compete in the battle for international public opinion.
Speaking at The Jerusalem Post 2026 New York Conference, Lauder said Israel has consistently demonstrated military strength and resilience but has failed to establish a communications infrastructure capable of countering misinformation, hostile narratives, and anti-Israel messaging on a global scale.
Lauder proposed a major new partnership between Israel and Jewish communities worldwide to build a dedicated communications operation that would function around the clock and operate independently of existing government structures.
Lauder Says Israel Faces A Communications Crisis
Addressing conference attendees in New York, Lauder argued that Israel’s public diplomacy efforts have failed to keep pace with the realities of modern media warfare.
“Israel has been outstanding on the military front,” Lauder said. “But as good as it is militarily, that’s how bad it is on P.R. Israel cannot afford to ignore its public relations.”
His remarks come at a time when Israel continues to face intense international scrutiny following years of conflict with Hamas, Hezbollah, Iran, and other regional adversaries.
Lauder suggested that while Israel invests heavily in defense capabilities, insufficient resources have been devoted to communicating Israel’s position to international audiences.
According to Lauder, the result has been a growing gap between events on the ground and how those events are portrayed globally.
Proposal Calls For New Dedicated Agency
Lauder proposed the establishment of an entirely new communications institution staffed by experienced media professionals rather than political appointees.
“There should be a completely new and vitally important government operation, with a new director, not just a political appointee, but someone who knows PR and news backwards and forwards,” he said.
He argued that the organization should operate independently and be physically separated from existing government ministries.
“It should be in a separate building, and it should have a billion-dollar budget,” Lauder said. “It should be on day and night.”
Under the proposal, the organization would function as a permanent global communications center capable of responding rapidly to breaking news, misinformation campaigns, and evolving international narratives.
The operation would also proactively communicate Israeli perspectives and provide content to global audiences across multiple platforms and languages.
Diaspora Jews Should Be Partners
A key element of Lauder’s proposal involves direct participation from Jewish communities outside Israel.
Rather than relying exclusively on Israeli government funding, Lauder said Jewish communities around the world should help finance and support the initiative.
“Some of that billion dollars should come from Jews in the Diaspora,” Lauder said.
He argued that the communications challenge extends beyond Israel’s borders and directly affects Jewish communities throughout the world.
“Diaspora Jews should partner with Israelis in this PR fight because in the end, it won’t just be protecting the Jewish state. It will be protecting the Jewish people worldwide.”
Lauder’s comments reflect growing concern among Jewish organizations about rising antisemitism and increasingly hostile attitudes toward Israel across parts of North America, Europe, and other regions.
Many Jewish leaders have argued that misinformation about Israel often contributes to hostility directed toward local Jewish communities.
A Strategic Challenge Beyond The Battlefield
Throughout his remarks, Lauder repeatedly emphasized that modern conflicts are fought not only on battlefields but also through media platforms, social networks, universities, and international institutions.
He suggested that Israel has failed to adapt fully to this reality.
Questioning the current structure of Israel’s public diplomacy efforts, Lauder asked conference participants a simple question.
“Who is in charge of Israel’s P.R.? Can anyone tell me?” he said. “The answer is really no one.”
His criticism reflects a long-standing debate within Israel and among Jewish organizations about whether responsibility for public diplomacy is too fragmented among government ministries, political offices, military spokespeople, and independent advocacy groups.
Supporters of a centralized communications strategy argue that a unified approach would improve consistency, speed, and effectiveness.
Critics have historically raised concerns about government involvement in media operations, emphasizing the importance of transparency and credibility.
Growing Concern Over Global Narratives
Lauder’s proposal comes amid continued concern among pro-Israel organizations regarding international coverage of the Jewish state and the spread of misinformation online.
Jewish advocacy groups have increasingly focused on combating antisemitism, anti-Israel disinformation, and social media campaigns that they believe distort events and fuel hostility toward Jews worldwide.
The World Jewish Congress has frequently highlighted the connection between anti-Israel rhetoric and rising antisemitism in numerous countries.
Lauder’s proposal seeks to address those challenges through what would be one of the largest communications initiatives ever proposed by a Jewish organization.
Whether such a network ultimately becomes reality remains uncertain.
However, his remarks signal growing recognition among Jewish leaders that information warfare, public diplomacy, and media engagement have become central fronts in the struggle to defend Israel’s legitimacy and protect Jewish communities around the world.
For Lauder, the message was clear: military strength alone is no longer sufficient.
In the modern era, he argued, the battle for public opinion may be just as important as the battle for security itself.
