Changing Israel from a ‘Bug’ to a ‘Feature’

I was inspired to write these words after listening to the Unpacking Israeli History podcast with guest Scott Galloway where he discussed his personal connection to Judaism, the rise of antisemitism, and the challenges facing Israel and the Jewish people in the post–October 7 era.

For those who have not heard his name before, Scott Galloway is an entrepreneur, bestselling author, and marketing professor known for his sharp analysis of technology, business, and societal trends. Through his books, public speaking, and podcasts, he has become one of the most influential commentators on the intersection of economics, culture, and public policy.

One argument that resonated with me when I was listening to this podcast was that Israel has often won wars on the battlefield but lost the battle for public perception. He distinguishes between kinetic victories (military success) and memetic victories (winning the story and public narrative), a mistake Israel has repeatedly struggled with. He equated it to a term those in the tech world are very familiar with, a “bug.”  He argued that Israel needs to return to becoming  (a tech term again) a  “feature.”

For much of its modern history, Israel has occupied a unique place in the imagination of the world. It was seen as the startup nation, the desert made to bloom, the refuge of persecuted people, and the embodiment of resilience in the face of overwhelming odds.

Today, however, something has changed.

For millions of people especially younger audiences in the West, Israel is increasingly viewed not as a feature of the global landscape but as a bug in the system. A problem to be solved. An inconvenience to progressive ideals. A country whose very existence is often framed as an obstacle rather than an achievement.

The question is not whether this perception is fair. The question is how we got here. More importantly, how we change it.

When the Narrative Changes

In software development, a bug is something that causes a system to malfunction. It disrupts the user experience and creates frustration. Features, on the other hand, are the elements people value. They are the reasons users stay engaged. While working in the Israeli hi-tec industry I made a living selling my clients bug “fixes” that made program features run better.

To take it back to the world branding stage, an industry I am focused on these days, somewhere along the way, Israel became viewed by many not as a feature of the international order but as a bug.

This transformation did not happen overnight. It was the product of decades of shifting narratives, social media amplification, geopolitical polarization, and a growing tendency to reduce complex conflicts into simplistic moral binaries.

The result is that many people encounter Israel not through its people, culture, innovations, diversity, or democratic institutions. Instead, they encounter Israel almost exclusively through conflict.

When a country becomes synonymous only with its wars, it inevitably loses the ability to tell its own story. Others begin telling it for you.

The Failure of Hasbara

For years, Israel’s response has largely been rooted in what is commonly known as “Hasbara.”

Historically, Israel has used Hasbara as an important public diplomacy instrument. Hasbara responds to accusations, corrects misinformation, and presents facts. But by its very nature, it is reactive.

It enters the conversation after perceptions have already formed.

Imagine if Apple for instance, marketed itself only by responding to consumer complaints. Or if Nike only appeared on the marketing scene when accused of wrongdoing. No global brand succeeds by spending its resources and energy defending itself. No company wants to be in a situation where it has to defend its brand name.

Successful brands, and I’ve been honored to work for some of them throughout my career, define themselves before others define their brand for them.

Back to Israel. Israel has often allowed itself to become trapped in a cycle of reaction rather than creation. The challenge is not simply to answer criticism. The challenge is to create a narrative so compelling that criticism does not become the sole lens through which people understand the country.

Israel’s Untold Story

The irony is that Israel possesses some of the most compelling stories in the world.

A country revived from an ancient language. A democracy that absorbed immigrants from more than one hundred countries. A society where Jews, Muslims, Christians, Druze, Circassians, and Baháʼís live and participate in public life.

A nation that turned water scarcity into innovation, adversity into entrepreneurship, and trauma into resilience.

These stories are real.

Yet they are increasingly absent from global conversation. When young Americans hear the word “Israel,” many no longer think of innovation, coexistence, culture, or democracy. They think only of conflict.

And it’s not because those other stories disappeared. It’s because they stopped being told effectively.

The Age of Emotional Narratives

Facts matter. But facts alone rarely change minds.

People are moved by stories, relationships, values, and experiences. The most successful social movements of our time understand this. They build emotional connections before they present arguments.

Israel often approaches public diplomacy in the opposite order.

Israel begins with statistics.

Others begin with stories.

In an era dominated by TikTok, Instagram, podcasts, and influencer culture, the side that creates emotional resonance frequently wins the battle for attention.

That does not mean abandoning facts. It means recognizing that facts without human connection rarely travel very far.

Turning Israel Into a Feature Again

Changing perceptions will require a fundamental shift. It means moving beyond crisis communications and embracing long-term narrative building.

It means showcasing Israel by using civil society voices, rather than relying on government voices. In some cases it means giving stage to voices that may contradict voices coming out of the mouths of government spokespeople. It means empowering artists, entrepreneurs, educators, activists, athletes, and community leaders to tell Israel’s story through their lived experiences.

It means focusing on shared values rather than political talking points. Most importantly, it means understanding that nation branding is not propaganda.

It is storytelling.

Countries that are admired globally are not admired because they are perfect. They are admired because they successfully communicate what contributions they make to the world.

Israel has contributions that matter: Medical breakthroughs. Environmental innovation. Humanitarian assistance. Religious pluralism. Cultural creativity. Democratic resilience.

These are features, not bugs.

The Choice Ahead

The battle for Israel’s image will not be won through a single campaign, a single viral video, or a single government initiative.

It will be won through thousands of authentic interactions that help people see Israel not as an abstraction but as a society.

A complicated society.

An imperfect society.

A vibrant and deeply human society.

The challenge before us is not only to defend Israel. It is to reintroduce Israel. To move the conversation from accusation to understanding. From reaction to engagement.

From being viewed as a bug in the international system to being recognized once again as one of its most remarkable features.

Because when people encounter the real Israel, not the caricature it has become in certain circles, they often discover something very different from what they expected.

And that may be where true change begins.