Judge Orders Removal of AI-Generated Video Showing Fake Meeting Between Palestinian Leader and Israeli Politicians

Judge Noam Solberg, head of Israel's Central Elections Committee, ruled that a campaign video posted by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and the Religious Zionist Party must be removed immediately from all social media accounts. The video depicted a handshake between Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen) and former IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot, followed by the appearance of MK Mansour Abbas. These scenes were created using artificial intelligence technology but presented as if they were real events. Although the video included a disclaimer stating it was AI-generated content, Judge Solberg found this insufficient to prevent public deception.

In his decision, Solberg emphasized that the video portrayed a political alliance between Eisenkot and Mansour Abbas that does not exist, potentially misleading voters. He ruled that this violated election laws prohibiting unfair interference in party campaigns. The judge also rejected arguments that the AI content label adequately addressed concerns about misinformation, noting that the disclaimer was not prominent enough for viewers to notice easily on Facebook.

As a result, Smotrich and his party were ordered to delete the video from all digital platforms under their control. This ruling highlights the legal challenges posed by AI-generated political content and the importance of clear transparency in election materials.