Central Elections Committee Orders Gadi Eizenkot to Remove AI-Generated IDF Soldiers Video

Noam Solberg, chairman of Israel's Central Elections Committee, instructed Gadi Eizenkot, chairman of the Yisrael party, to remove a video featuring AI-generated images of IDF soldiers engaged in various military activities. Eizenkot had shared the video on his social media accounts, showing him walking against a backdrop that included digitally created soldiers in combat, at a military ceremony, and a scene resembling a military notification of casualties. The Likud party filed a petition against the video, arguing it improperly used public assets for election propaganda, violating Section 2A of the Elections Law (Campaign Methods), 1959.

Solberg ruled that although the video was published before a new directive banning the use of the IDF in election campaigns took effect, the existing law prohibiting the use of public assets still applies. The use of military uniforms, considered intangible public property, and the depiction of IDF soldiers were deemed a significant part of the video's campaign message, creating an inappropriate association between Eizenkot and the IDF. Consequently, Solberg ordered the immediate removal of the video from all of Eizenkot's social media platforms.

This decision underscores the strict regulations against using military imagery in political campaigns in Israel, aiming to prevent the exploitation of public institutions for electoral advantage.