Israel Government Advertising Agency


The Israel Government Advertising Agency, commonly known by its Hebrew-language acronym Lapam, is the state-run bureau responsible for executing public communications and advertising on behalf of the Cabinet of Israel.

History

The agency was originally part of the Ministry of Culture and Sport and later operated under the Ministry of Communications before coming under the purview of the Prime Minister's Office.
In July 2016, the government transferred oversight of the agency from the Prime Minister's Office to the Ministry of Culture and Sport, under Minister Miri Regev. The cabinet decision gave Regev the authority to appoint Lapam's director, marking a significant shift in political control over government advertising. At the time, Lapam managed an annual advertising budget of ₪133 million – approximately – a 13% increase from the previous year, placing it among the top ten advertisers in Israel.

Mandates and structure

Lapam develops and manages advertising campaigns for government ministries, the military, law enforcement, public universities, state-owned corporations, museums, and other public sector entities. Its responsibilities span campaign strategy, market research, creative development, media planning, production, and ad placement—both in Israel and abroad, including campaigns for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of [Aliyah and Integration].
Lapam is structured into multiple operational units, including research, creative, budgeting, film production, digital design, and ongoing campaign management. It is not funded through a central state budget, but rather operates on payments from the agencies it serves. Historically based in Tel Aviv's Shalom Tower, the agency moved to Jerusalem in 2023 — a relocation that prompted a wave of staff resignations.
Between 2015 and 2021, Lapam shifted significantly from print to digital advertising: spending on internet platforms rose from 21% to 31% of the agency's media budget, while newspaper ad spending fell from 22% to 12%. Lapam also conducts mandatory government notices and public health campaigns, such as those during the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to a temporary increase in television ad expenditures.
Although not named directly, the Government Advertising Bureau operates within the advertising ecosystem described in a 2024 report by the, which analyzes advertising market trends and the role of government expenditures in the viability of media outlets in Israel.
The shift in ministerial control in 2016 was significant given Lapam's function as one of Israel's top advertising spenders, often outpacing private-sector firms.

Leadership

As of May 2025, Gadi Margalit serves as head of the agency, following his appointment after leading the Ministry of Public Diplomacy. He succeeded Gali Sembira, who was dismissed in August 2023 by Minister Galit Distel-Atbaryan after only four months in the role. Hebrew media reported that Sembira's dismissal followed internal Likud criticism labeling her a "leftist" — in part for publicly defending the independence of the judiciary amidst 2023 [Israeli judicial reform protests|protests] against the 2023 Israeli judicial reform. Her departure left only one woman heading any of Israel's 33 ministries — a fact that drew concern amid what commentators described as a broader rollback of female leadership. A 2023 Haaretz editorial framed the trend as part of a deliberate sidelining of women in government, invoking the phrase "בנות מלך החוצה" — a reversal of the biblical ideal of modest seclusion used satirically to critique the exclusion of women from power.
Margalit had previously served as Lapam's director until 2016, when he stepped down and was later appointed municipal CEO of Haifa. During his tenure, he was praised for creative reforms but also faced criticism over alleged lack of competitive bidding in agency procurement.

Partnerships and campaigns

In 2018, Lapam awarded a digital advertising contract to Adcore Inc. – a publicly listed Israeli marketing technology company, traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange – to support a government program aimed at increasing inbound tourism to Israel. The contract was extended in August 2023 for an additional ten months, with an estimated value of up to CAD $20 million in advertising spending. According to Adcore's public announcement, the campaign contributed to a 25% increase in tourist arrivals prior to the COVID-19 pandemic and continued to target global audiences as borders reopened in 2023.
Lapam has also used digital advertising platforms to disseminate public messaging, including paid content and native advertising formats that appear alongside editorial content on major news websites. These types of campaigns are designed to blend marketing with informational outreach and are commonly used in public diplomacy and tourism promotion strategies.

Immigration-related campaigns

In 2010, Lapam conducted a campaign on behalf of the Ministry of the Interior warning that the employment of undocumented foreign workers harmed the Israeli economy and constituted a criminal offense. According to political scientist Ami Pedahzur, the campaign's economic rationale masked deeper demographic concerns, particularly fears that African asylum seekers would undermine the Jewish character of the state
Israel's immigration policy is shaped in large part by the Law of Return, which grants preferential status to Jewish immigrants. Immigration from African or Middle Eastern countries has sometimes been described as a demographic concern in political discourse and media coverage.
Gaza-related campaigns
Shortly after Israel's operations in Gaza began accumulating backlash, the agency began airing ads on YouTube, X and other platforms, in a move that some people consider to be propaganda and misinformation.

Gaza-related campaigns

Media and scholarly coverage

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In recordings obtained by Haaretz, the legal advisor of the agency explained his opposition to a proposed law that would require accessibility of television broadcasts, stating that the translation would harm the effectiveness of the advertisement and delay its airing.

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    The authors argue that Lapam's campaigns contributed to a lack of transparency, suppression of dissenting voices, and reinforcement of the government's narrative—raising concerns about democratic oversight and public trust.
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The Israeli government has spent an estimated $7.1 million on digital ad campaigns to shape Western public opinion amid the Gaza conflict, according to journalist Sophia Smith Galer. Using data from Semrush, she found that YouTube, X, and platforms like Facebook, and Duolingo were targeted, with most ads aimed at France, Germany, and the United Kingdom. Many were graphic, emotional, and allegedly violated ad guidelines; some were later removed by Google. The effort reflects a coordinated attempt by Israel's Foreign Ministry to influence discourse through paid media across Europe and the U.S.


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    2. Israel in the [Eurovision Song Contest 2025].
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Annotations

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The headline "בנות מלך החוצה" is a reductio ad absurdum inversion of the biblical phrase "כל כבודה בת מלך פנימה", a verse traditionally cited in ultra-Orthodox Jewish contexts to justify modesty and seclusion of women. The editorial uses this phrase satirically to criticize the exclusion of women from public leadership roles in the current Israeli government.

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    1. The new advertising logo was produced by the Government Advertising Bureau for the Second Authority for Television and Radio. The logo will appear for now only on the new channel; on Channel 2, the old logo will be replaced only in about two months, with the launch of the channel's branding campaign.

    3. The government decided to transfer the operations of the Israel Government Advertising Agency to the authority of the Ministry of Culture and Sports, even though there is no clear connection between the ministry's activities and those of the agency.

    4. More than 45 out of 60 employees at the Government Advertising Agency announced their resignation last week due to the agency's relocation to Jerusalem. Per the directive of the Prime Minister's Office, no tenders were issued for the positions, even though the resignations were anticipated. Control over LAPAM could grant the government access to one of the key revenue streams of media organizations.

    5. The Government Advertising Agency has been depleted of staff in recent weeks following the implementation of a voluntary retirement plan. The Prime Minister's Office has made no effort to find replacements — leaving government ministries without access to routine advertising services. The remaining employees fear this may be part of a political takeover attempt.
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