Israel’s influence industry in the US

What the report says

Al Jazeera’s The Listening Post examines how the debate over Israel is playing out in US politics and media, using Michigan’s Democratic primary as a current example. The program centers on progressive candidate Abdul El-Sayed and establishment candidate Haley Stevens, noting that Stevens’ campaign has drawn unusually large spending from pro-Israel groups. The episode frames this race as part of a broader national shift in how American parties and news coverage are responding to a more contentious discussion about Israel.

The report says the Israeli government is also expanding efforts to influence public opinion in the United States. It points to a wider “influence industry” around Israel, involving political spending, media narratives and online messaging. Al Jazeera presents this as an evolving environment rather than a single campaign, suggesting that lobbying and public-relations efforts are becoming more visible and more central to US political debate.

The program includes commentary from human rights lawyer Sarah Leah Whitson, Jewish Currents senior reporter Alex Kane and Arab American Institute founder James Zogby. In a separate segment, it cites an investigation by Drop Site News about Israel’s use of AI-powered chatbots to shape perceptions online, with reporter Nick Cleveland-Stout discussing the findings.

Al Jazeera also places the US story alongside other media and identity debates in its broader episode lineup, including a report from Sri Lanka on Buddhist monks using social media to reach new audiences and contest hate speech.