Although White House support for Israel seems questionable, there’s no doubt that pro-Israel organizations are gaining momentum in the United States.
The latest example is United with Israel, a new tech-savvy Israel advocacy organization. Tapping into the power of social media, United with Israel has gained 1 million supporters in just 15 months.
In fact, on March 4, Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu became the 1 millionth supporter of United with Israel.
“It’s not magic,” says Michael Gerbitz, a technology pro from New York who moved to Israel with his wife and nine children in 2007. “United with Israel is the first pro-Israel organization that’s actually harnessing the full potential of social media.”
United with Israel bills itself as the world’s first global movement for Israel. The group now has a global friends reach of more than 200 million people in more than 100 countries. That totals 25 percent of the entire Facebook community worldwide.
United with Israel is Gerbitz’s brainchild. In the process of developing online businesses, he says he discovered a dynamic, highly effective way to spread positive messages about Israel to millions around the world.
“The fact is, if ordinary people in the Arab world can use social media as the basis for radical change, we can certainly use it to advocate for Israel. It is no secret that Israel is fighting an uphill battle for world public opinion.” he says. “United with Israel harnesses the best technology that’s out there to reach masses of people. We turn passive supporters into global activists—often with just one click that their friends will see.”
