"Pray for Na’ama” – Russian Information War Against Israel

Key Findings:

The publication investigates the case of Na’ama Issaschar, an Israeli-American backpacker who was arrested in Moscow in 2019 for possessing a small amount of drugs and sentenced to 7.5 years in prison. Her release in January 2020, following intense negotiations between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Russian President Vladimir Putin, turned her case into a high-profile political affair. The publication argues that the Issaschar case was not merely a diplomatic incident but a deliberate Russian information war operation aimed at influencing Israeli media, public discourse, and political decisions.

The research focuses on how Russian state-backed media, particularly Russia Today (RT), played a key role in manipulating the narrative around Issaschar's case. The publication analyzes coverage from Israeli media outlets and RT to reveal how RT's reporting was part of a coordinated effort by Russian state actors to pressure Israel into a prisoner exchange. This exchange involved Aleksei Burkov, a Russian hacker detained in Israel, whom Russia wanted in return for Issaschar’s release.

Aspects of this influence operation:

(1) Agenda Hijacking: RT's reporting linked Issaschar’s case with Burkov’s, increasing Israeli media coverage and public interest in Issaschar, which had been minimal before RT's involvement.

(2) Manipulative Narratives: RT portrayed both Issaschar and Burkov as victims of unjust legal systems, equating their situations despite significant differences, thereby legitimizing Russia's demand for an exchange.

(3) Plausible Deniability: RT presented the swap proposal as originating from Burkov’s family and friends, obscuring the Russian government’s direct involvement.

(4) Deceptive Tactics: RT's journalist Daniil Lomakin posed as a human rights activist to gain access to Issaschar in prison, further manipulating the narrative in favor of the Russian government.

The Issaschar affair exemplifies Russia's broader strategy of using media and information to exert influence in international relations, particularly in conflicts involving the arbitrary detention of foreign nationals.