Israeli Election Campaigns Leverage AI, Emotion, and Controversy

This election cycle in Israel is characterized by parties employing short videos, strong imagery, humor, artificial intelligence, and emotionally resonant narratives to capture public attention, moving beyond traditional platforms and policy promises. Political strategist Moran Samueloff highlights these innovative campaign tactics.

The Likud party launched a "Putting an End to Boycotts" campaign, using the story of a bullied child to draw parallels with what they claim is a political boycott against Prime Minister Netanyahu and the party. They also utilize "Likud Youth" activities and young online activists to broaden their campaign reach.

Otzma Yehudit, led by National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, released videos from prisons depicting his policies towards security prisoners. One clip shows a terrorist complaining about worsened conditions, with the tagline "Ben-Gvir's Diet, The Desire for Terror is Off the Menu." The Religious Zionist party opted for AI, presenting a video where the Attorney General, the Supreme Court President, and a justice are depicted being dragged by police officers, sparking debate about the justice system.

Shas released an emotional video featuring a soldier returning home for Shabbat to meet his yeshiva student brother, who claims to have studied Torah for the soldiers' protection. This aims to connect religious study with military service amidst the ongoing debate over the conscription of Haredi men.

Additionally, the film "Nezar" has transcended its cinematic origins to become a public and political issue, with various factions attempting to co-opt its discourse for their own agendas. This illustrates how cultural events can become political fodder, even without initial campaign intent. In an era demanding instant messaging, compelling stories, imagery, and emotion are crucial for winning public attention, with the focus shifting from what parties say to the memorable moments they create.