Central Elections Committee Orders Smotrich to Remove AI Video Falsely Showing Gadi Eizenkot with Palestinian Leaders

Noam Solberg, chairman of Israel's Central Elections Committee, ruled on Sunday that Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich must remove an AI-generated video from social media. The video falsely depicted Gadi Eizenkot, chairman of the Yisrael party, shaking hands with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and later joined by Knesset member Mansour Abbas. Although the video included a disclaimer stating it was AI-edited, Solberg determined the label was insufficient to prevent public deception due to its subtle presentation on platforms like Facebook.

The Yisrael party and the voters' rights group Bochrim B'Israel petitioned against the video, arguing it presented a fabricated event that appeared realistic. Solberg agreed, emphasizing the video suggested a political connection between Eizenkot and Mansour Abbas that does not exist, potentially misleading voters. He ruled that this violated the prohibition against unfair interference in election campaigning under Section 13 of the 1959 Elections Law.

Solberg's decision highlights concerns over AI-generated content's impact on election integrity and the need for clear regulations to prevent misinformation during campaigns. Smotrich is now required to take down the video promptly to comply with the committee's directive.