Israeli youths wave flags and sing as police stand guard before they start marching at a square outside Jerusalem’s Old City May 29, 2022. Photo: REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun

For decades, Israel has prepared itself to survive military threats unlike those faced by almost any other nation. It invested in intelligence, missile defense, cyber capabilities, and one of the most sophisticated armed forces in the world. Those investments have repeatedly saved Israeli lives.

But the 21st century has introduced a battlefield that is proving just as decisive as any fought with tanks, aircraft, or special forces.

It is the battlefield of public opinion.

Before October 7, 2023, Israel appeared stronger than at any point in recent history. Economically, it had become one of the world’s most dynamic advanced economies. Growth consistently exceeded that of much of Europe. Unemployment remained near record lows. Government debt was relatively modest compared with many Western nations. Its technology sector attracted billions in foreign investment and earned Israel the well deserved title of Start-Up Nation.

The country’s achievements extended well beyond economics. Israel had become a global leader in cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, medical innovation, and semiconductor research. Companies such as Intel, Microsoft, Google, and Nvidia expanded their presence because they recognized Israeli ingenuity and talent.

Diplomatically, there were also reasons for optimism. The Abraham Accords had transformed relations with several Arab states. Serious discussions about normalization with Saudi Arabia suggested that Israel’s regional isolation might finally be ending. The belief among many policymakers was that shared economic interests and common concerns about Iran could reshape the Middle East.

To be sure, Israel was not without serious domestic challenges. The judicial reform debate divided society and generated months of protests. Supporters viewed the reforms as a legitimate effort by a democratically elected government to restore balance among the branches of government. Opponents feared lasting damage to Israeli democracy. Whatever one’s position, the debate reflected the strength of a society willing to argue passionately about its future.

Then everything changed.

The Hamas massacre of October 7 shattered assumptions that had guided Israeli policy for years. Hundreds of innocent civilians were murdered, families were destroyed, and hostages were dragged into Gaza. Israel entered a war that continues to shape every aspect of its national life.

Yet another conflict emerged almost immediately, one that receives far less attention despite its enormous consequences.

Israel entered a global information war.

Wars today are fought on smartphones as much as on battlefields. Millions of people form opinions not by reading official reports or studying military assessments but by scrolling through social media feeds filled with photographs, videos, and emotional narratives.

This reality has transformed modern conflict.

Facts often arrive after opinions have already hardened. Context rarely travels as quickly as shocking images. Corrections almost never receive the same attention as sensational claims.

This creates an enormous strategic challenge for any democracy fighting a terrorist organization.

I fear that Israel has underestimated that challenge.

One of Israel’s defining moral characteristics is its respect for the dignity of victims. Graphic images of those murdered on October 7 were never widely distributed. Families deserved privacy and respect. Israeli society celebrates life rather than glorifying death.

That restraint reflects important values.

Unfortunately, the Internet does not reward restraint.

Instead, social media rewards emotionally powerful content regardless of whether it is complete, accurate, or presented without context.

Recently I encountered a website containing tens of thousands of images presented as evidence of what it describes as Israeli atrocities in Gaza. I cannot independently verify every image or every claim. Neither can the overwhelming majority of people who visit such websites.

That is precisely the danger.

Most viewers will never investigate the source of the material. They will not ask whether photographs have been misidentified, recycled from other conflicts, manipulated, or stripped of context. They will simply remember what they saw.

Perception becomes reality.

Whether one supports or opposes Israel’s military campaign is almost beside the point. In the age of digital media, images shape international opinion with extraordinary speed.

Israel cannot afford to ignore that reality.

Military superiority alone cannot guarantee long term security. Israel depends on alliances, diplomatic relationships, economic partnerships, and public support in democratic societies. Governments ultimately respond to voters, and voters are increasingly influenced by what they consume online.

This should concern everyone who cares about Israel’s future.

History demonstrates that Israel has repeatedly defeated enemies on the battlefield despite overwhelming odds. The question facing the country today is whether it can also compete successfully in a conflict where algorithms often matter as much as armies.

The answer should be yes.

Israel possesses remarkable technological expertise. It is home to world leading cyber specialists, intelligence professionals, legal experts, and innovators. Those capabilities should be mobilized far more aggressively to identify coordinated disinformation campaigns, challenge demonstrably false narratives, present verified evidence quickly, and communicate effectively with international audiences.

This is not simply a matter of public relations.

It is national security.

The cost of losing the information war may not be measured immediately in territory or military casualties. Instead, it may appear gradually through weakening alliances, growing diplomatic isolation, declining public sympathy, and increasing political pressure from partners whose support has long been indispensable.

Israel has spent generations preparing for conventional wars.

It must now prepare with equal determination for digital ones.

The country that gave the world extraordinary innovations in technology should also become a leader in defending truth in the online age. There is still time to act. But time should not be mistaken for unlimited opportunity.

Every day that falsehoods circulate without challenge, every day that hostile narratives dominate international discussion, and every day that Israel underestimates the strategic importance of public perception, makes the task more difficult.

The information war is no longer secondary to the military campaign. It has become one of its defining fronts.

Israel has repeatedly shown that it can overcome extraordinary threats.

It must now demonstrate that it understands the nature of this new one before the damage becomes irreversible.

Sabine Sterk is the CEO of Time To Stand Up For Israel.