News Anchors Share AI-Generated Satire of National Security Minister Ben-Gvir

News anchors Almaz Mengistu and Adi Zrifai of Israel's Channel 12 shared an AI-generated satirical video on Instagram. The video depicts them interviewing National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who arrives with a pet crocodile. The interview, conducted in Japanese as part of an online trend, touches on Ben-Gvir's claims of reducing crime. When Mengistu asks for data, the video shows Ben-Gvir deflecting and discussing his son's military service before demanding to be appointed "Minister of War" and establishing a "Crocodile Unit."

The video satirically mocks Ben-Gvir's purported achievements and public conduct, delivering a critical message about the minister and the government. The sharing of such a political and satirical video by news anchors has sparked online interest, particularly concerning the public discourse around media personalities and their need to separate journalistic work from personal political views, as well as the role of internet memes in shaping public opinion ahead of elections.