Full Breakdown
Netanyahu’s AI-Generated Election Ad Sparks Controversy
7/24/2026, 11:23:10 AM
Core Event: AI-Generated Ad Targets Gadi Eisenkot
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party released an AI-generated video that shows Yashar party leader and former IDF chief of staff Gadi Eisenkot running through a sunlit meadow. In the clip Eisenkot turns away from a young man wearing a “Israeli unity” T-shirt and instead embraces Mansour Abbas, the head of the Arab-Israeli Ra’am party. A revised version later replaced the young man with a woman.
Background & Context
The ad appeared early in the campaign for the October 27, 2026 election, a contest Netanyahu hopes to frame around his perceived indispensability. Since June, Likud has circulated a series of anti-Arab advertisements aimed at voters still reeling from the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack. Eisenkot’s polling surge has positioned his centrist Yashar party as the main challenger to Netanyahu’s Likud, with recent surveys indicating Yashar could become the largest Knesset faction if elections were held today.
Official Statements & Responses
The Yashar party countered with a montage of Likud politicians—now-Diaspora Minister Amichai Chikli, Justice Minister Yariv Levin and Culture Minister Miki Zohar—praising Abbas, underscoring that Netanyahu’s own allies have previously endorsed cooperation with the Arab party.
Eisenkot’s campaign released its own AI-generated montage, highlighting Netanyahu allies praising Abbas and featuring Abbas himself claiming Netanyahu invited him to the prime minister’s residence four times.
Criticism & Opposition
Journalists Guy Peleg and Barak Seri alleged that the young man in the original video was a stand-in for Eisenkot’s son Gal, who was killed as a reservist in a Gaza tunnel explosion in December 2023. The resemblance was described as “heavily implied” and the meadow setting was interpreted as a “heavenly” backdrop.
Former Likud minister Limor Livnat condemned the ad as “pathetic,” accusing Netanyahu of exploiting a rival’s wartime loss while his own son resides abroad. Former IDF spokesman Avi Benayahu called the video “insulting” and “humiliating” to Netanyahu himself, warning that it would damage his reputation.
On-the-Ground Reports
Social-media users quickly identified the visual similarity to Gal Eisenkot, prompting widespread backlash. Thousands attended Gal’s funeral, an event that Netanyahu himself attended, further intensifying public sensitivity to the ad’s imagery.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Netanyahu’s team denied any intentional reference to Gal Eisenkot, stating the young man was not identified in the video. Critics maintain the implication was deliberate, but no independent verification confirms the likeness. The dispute remains between the Prime Minister’s office (denial) and the named journalists and commentators (allegation).
Verbatim Quotes
- “There is a shocking attempt by extremists online to create false conspiracy theories in order to conceal the simple truth. Gadi Eisenkot has no government without the Arab parties and Yair Golan.” — Benjamin Netanyahu, already prime minister
What’s Next
The October 27, 2026 election approaches, and both campaigns are expected to continue deploying AI-generated content as part of their outreach strategies. No further official actions have been announced.
