Avichay Adraee

[citation needed] His father reportedly encouraged him to learn Arabic at home, and he later honed his skills in school and through watching classic Egyptian films.

[5] When he reached the rank of Staff Sergeant at the age of 22, he was offered his current position - the head of the Arab media department in the IDF Spokesperson's Office following the Israeli disengagement from Gaza.

A few years prior, the Israeli Foreign Ministry sought to influence Arab public opinion by appointing Arabic-speaking spokespersons to engage with both local and international Arabic-language media.

In 2018, he engaged in a debate on Al Jazeera’s "The Other Side" program, representing the Israeli position against former Syrian officer Saleh Qirata, who questioned Israel’s aerial operations in Syria.

During the discussion, Adraee asserted that the downing of an Israeli F-16 was not a significant event and highlighted Israel's continued air superiority and its capability to destroy a substantial portion of the Syrian anti-aircraft system in response.

[7] That same year, Adraee sparked significant controversy by posting a two-part Arabic video on X that featured overt anti-Shia rhetoric and referenced scholars associated with the Islamic State (IS), leading many to believe this was an effort by Israel to incite Sunni sectarian tensions against Iran.

"[6] In 2013, Adraee encountered significant criticism from Egyptian social media users after sharing photographs from a visit to Egypt taken 13 years prior, during which he expressed fond memories of his trip, provoking backlash over perceptions of his presence as a "Zionist".

[4]Throughout the Israel–Hamas war and Israel–Hezbollah conflict, Adraee's name has been frequently mentioned, from official statements to televised remarks that attract large audiences across the Middle East.

[8] Regional newspapers have raised alarms about his aims to "influence Arab consciences" while acknowledging Israel's evolving "more professional and sophisticated" propaganda tactics.

"[6] On 15 January 2024, Adraee was reportedly the primary target of a car-ramming attack in Ra’anana, carried out by Palestinian militants motivated by his prominent role as the Israeli military's Arabic spokesman.

Chief of Staff Major General Herzi Halevi confers the rank of colonel to Avihai Adrai, July 2, 2024.