Israel

Report: Meta Hosts IDF Fundraising Ads Despite Policy Violations

JUL 22 2025·Updated JUL 24 2025

Story

Above: The Facebook logo appears on a smartphone screen, and the Meta logo serves as the background on a laptop screen. Image credit: Nikolas Kokovlis/NurPhoto/Getty Images

The Facts

Global consumer watchdog Ekō identified at least 117 ads published since March 2025 on Meta-owned platforms Facebook, Instagram, and Threads that explicitly sought donations for military equipment and weapons for Israel Defense Force (IDF) battalions.
www.arabnews.com
guardian
Meta, which prohibits the promotion of firearms, ammunition, and explosives with limited exceptions, removed the ads after being contacted by Ekō and media outlets, citing violations of company policy requiring disclaimers for political content, not weapons sales.
Digital Information World
guardian
The fundraising campaigns generated at least 76,000 impressions in the EU and U.K. alone, with two publishers raising over $2.4 million combined. The nonprofit Vaad Hatzedaka collected more than $250,000 while Israeli singer-songwriter Mayer Malik raised over $2.2 million for the IDF.
The Press Project
www.arabnews.com
At least 97 ads specifically requested donations for Autel civilian drones that +972 Magazine reported have been retrofitted by Israeli combat units to drop grenades on Palestinians, with IDF soldiers confirming they received such drones through donations and Facebook groups.
Business and Human Rights Centre
guardian
This marks the second time Ekō flagged similar content to Meta, having previously reported 98 ads in December 2024 that were removed, though the company largely allowed publishers to launch new campaigns with identical ads afterward.
Digital Information World
guardian
This comes as another watchdog, Tech Transparency Project, found 130 Yemen-based X accounts and 67 Meta-owned WhatsApp business accounts linked to Houthi militants trafficking weapons — including U.S.-made rifles marked "Property of US Govt," violating both platforms' policies against arms dealing.
The Jerusalem Post
guardian

Sources Split

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The Spin

Establishment-critical narrative

Israel and its financial backers have covertly funded military actions against Palestinian civilians for a while now, using deceptive methods like media manipulation to obscure their involvement. From Autel drones to bomb civilians in Gaza to U.S. nonprofits funding sniper units who murder children, these financiers are likely implicated in war crimes.

Dropsitenews

+972 Magazine

Pro-Israel narrative

While Israel faces accusations of secretive war funding, the media often ignore how U.S.-based nonprofits funnel millions to groups tied to Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Popular Front. These entities, with documented terrorist links, raise funds through tax-exempt channels, fueling antisemitism and terrorism, yet receive less scrutiny than Israel's actions.

The Jerusalem Post

www.israelhayom.com

Metaculus Prediction

Limited Coverage

This story currently has limited reporting from right-wing and pro-Israel sources. We will continue to monitor all major outlets and update our coverage as additional perspectives become available.