Israel to spend up to $4.1M in bid to bolster support among Christians in western US
Federal filings show Foreign Ministry hired US firm to run campaign targeting churchgoers with digital ads, mobile ‘Oct. 7th Experience’
By Asaf Elia-Shalev 4 October 2025, 6:49 am
timesofisrael.com
As of October 2025, a newly disclosed Israeli foreign influence operation is specifically targeting Christian churches in the western United States with pro-Israel content. The campaign is being carried out by a conservative Christian marketing firm and aims to bolster support for Israel among Christian and particularly evangelical audiences.
Campaign details
Federal filings made under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) revealed details of the campaign, which is commissioned by Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
- Targeting churches and colleges: A firm called Show Faith by Works was retained for a $3.2 million outreach and digital campaign. It is executing what has been described as the "largest Christian Church Geofencing Campaign in U.S. history," targeting major churches and Christian colleges during worship times in California, Nevada, Arizona, and Colorado.
- Digital tactics: The campaign uses geofencing to track attendees at these religious locations and continues to deliver targeted pro-Israel ads to their mobile devices afterward.
- Messaging: The messaging is designed to frame Israel's actions, including its ongoing war in Gaza, in a positive light for Christian audiences. Tactics include:
- Highlighting the biblical significance of Israel.
- Asserting that no Palestinian state has ever existed and portraying Hamas' goals as genocidal.
- Contending that the modern state of Israel is a fulfillment of biblical prophecy.
- Linking the Palestinian population to extremism.
- Mobile exhibit: The campaign includes a mobile trailer called the "10/7 Experience," which is being used to visit churches and colleges.
- Celebrity and influencer outreach: A slide from the campaign's proposal listed potential "Christian Celebrity Spokespeople" to deliver pro-Israel messages, including Jon Voight, Chris Pratt, Tim Tebow, and Steph Curry. The Israeli regime is also reportedly paying social media influencers to promote its message.
- Narrative control: Former Trump campaign manager Brad Parscale has reportedly been paid to advance pro-Israel narratives using platforms like ChatGPT and other large language models.
Broader context of Christian Zionism
This targeted campaign is the latest effort within a broader movement known as Christian Zionism, which has long influenced American politics and foreign policy.
- Theological basis: Christian Zionism is a religious and political movement that believes the modern State of Israel and the "ingathering" of the Jewish people is a prerequisite for the Second Coming of Jesus. This view is prominent among many evangelical Christians.
- Key organizations: A major organization within this movement is Christians United for Israel (CUFI), which claims over 10 million members and functions as a lobby group to advocate for Israel.
- Political influence: The movement is known for rallying support for Israel across the U.S. and has been instrumental in shaping policies, such as the Trump administration's decision to move the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem.
- International Christian Embassy Jerusalem (ICEJ): This organization, established in 1980 with official Israeli encouragement, mobilizes churches globally to back Israeli policies and organizes events like the "Feast of Tabernacles" in Jerusalem.
- Shift in public opinion: The newly disclosed influence campaign comes as federal filings indicate a decline in approval for Israel among American evangelical Christians, coupled with rising public opposition to Israel's actions in Gaza.
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