Eizenkot Condemns Netanyahu's Demand to Remove AI Election Video as Desperate Attempt to Promote Draft Evasion

The Likud party has demanded that Gadi Eizenkot's party, Yisrael HaYom, remove an AI-generated election video featuring the former IDF Chief of Staff. The video shows Eizenkot walking with AI-created soldiers fighting behind him, highlighting his military service. Likud claims the use of IDF soldiers and symbols in the video is illegal and creates an improper association between the Israeli Defense Forces and election propaganda, violating election laws.

Likud's letter argues that even though the soldiers are AI-generated, the video unlawfully appropriates public military symbols for political campaigning. They emphasize that the video’s focus on Eizenkot’s military background and his role as IDF Chief of Staff creates a forbidden link between his political activity and the IDF, misleadingly implying military endorsement.

In response, Yisrael HaYom defended the video as a reflection of reality, expressing support for the IDF and criticizing the government for promoting draft evasion. The party’s lawyer, Uri Haberman, called Likud’s demand "an irrelevant and improper attempt to harm Eizenkot," especially coming hours after the Knesset passed a law seen as facilitating draft evasion. Haberman accused Likud of a desperate campaign to erase Eizenkot’s military legacy and blur the clear values gap between the parties ahead of the elections in 105 days.

Eizenkot launched his campaign about two weeks ago, criticizing Netanyahu’s call for a broad national unity government and accusing him of divisive rhetoric. Likud’s letter also referenced Eizenkot’s social media posts where he identifies as the 21st IDF Chief of Staff, reinforcing their claim of illegal use of military imagery for political gain.

The dispute highlights tensions in the upcoming elections, with Likud aggressively targeting Eizenkot’s military credentials and Yisrael HaYom pushing back against accusations of improper campaigning amid ongoing debates over military service and draft laws in Israel.