Israel Is a Hispanic Opportunity

Key Findings:

This essay discusses the evolving relationship between Israel and the Spanish-speaking world, particularly the potential impact of the growing Hispanic population in the United States on Israel's future. It highlights the significance of the Hispanic community as a target audience for shaping opinions regarding Israel. The need to effectively engage with Hispanic people due to their increasing population and their utilization of social media (rife with anti-Israel antisemitism) for news consumption, is emphasized. 

The essay underscores the influence of disinformation campaigns originating from various countries such as Spain, Russia, Qatar and Iran on Hispanic perceptions of Israel. Support for Israel among English-speaking Latinos under 30 has declined since 2010. Moreover, there is an absence of strong Spanish-speaking Israeli and Jewish voices in international media networks compared to the presence of state-sponsored and independent networks disseminating negative portrayals of Israel.

Fuente Latina’s research with focus groups showed that long-standing messaging employed by many Jewish and pro-Israel organizations — such as that Israel has a right to defend itself — no longer resonate. Pro-Israel messengers were dismissed as disingenuous for talking only about Israel’s suffering.

Of the young (18–35) Hispanics polled, some 37 percent believe that Hamas is a terrorist organization, compared with 33 percent who say Hamas is defending the Palestinian people, and 30 percent who are unsure. The proportion of Latinos who believe that Hamas is protecting the Palestinians is higher than in all other ethnic groups surveyed in this study. Latinos also appear to more frequently embrace classic antisemitic beliefs than other Americans do, though the overall number of Latinos of all age groups who hold a positive view of Israel is greater than for white Americans.

Fuente Latina’s study showed a decline in support for Israel since 2010 among English-speaking Latinos under 30, particularly among women. In tandem with other Americans their age, many young Latinos view events in Israel through a racial-identity lens. This perspective, as it is widely marketed today, tends to side with those seeking Israel’s destruction. However, the data shows that Hispanic people are, for the most part, still undecided when it comes to Israel.

The importance of personal experiences and authentic interactions with Spanish-speaking Israelis for shaping positive perceptions of Israel is underscored. Forming strategic relationships with Hispanic Evangelical Christians and recognizing the diverse nature of the Hispanic community are essential for effective engagement.

The author emphasizes the need to create culturally relevant content that resonates with Hispanics through media channels, while also advocating for open dialogue and adjusting messaging to meet the interests and concerns of non-Jewish Latino audiences. The article concludes by stressing the continued importance of fostering a strong relationship between Israel and the Spanish-speaking world, particularly given the Hispanic community's growing influence and potential impact on Israel's standing.