Israeli Election Committee Orders Smotrich to Remove AI-Generated Video Featuring Gadi Eizenkot

On June 30, 2026, the chairman of Israel's Central Election Committee, Judge Noam Solberg, instructed Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and his party to remove an AI-generated video from their social media accounts. The video depicted Gadi Eizenkot, leader of the Yashar party, alongside Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and Knesset member Mansour Abbas, in a fabricated meeting that never occurred. Solberg ruled that the video created a misleading impression of a political connection between Eizenkot and Abbas, violating election laws prohibiting unfair interference in another party's campaign.

The decision followed petitions filed by the Yashar party and the NGO "Choosing Israel," which argued that the video, posted on Smotrich's Facebook page, could deceive viewers. Although the video included a label indicating it was AI-edited, the Election Committee chairman found this insufficient because the label was not prominently visible, failing to prevent potential voter confusion.

Consequently, Smotrich and his party were ordered to remove the video from all their social media platforms. The ruling underscores the committee's stance on the use of AI-generated content in election campaigns and the importance of clear disclosure to avoid misleading the public.