Netanyahu Advisor Removes AI Video Mocking Gadi Eizenkot After Legal Threat

On Wednesday, Jonathan Orich, a close advisor to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, deleted an AI-generated video that depicted former IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eizenkot alongside Trump and Netanyahu joking in Hebrew about Eizenkot's bank accounts. Orich posted the video earlier in the day but promptly received a legal warning letter from Eizenkot's lawyers, which led to the video's removal. Eizenkot's team emphasized that although Orich tweeted the clip, the voice in the video was that of Netanyahu and represented the Likud party's stance.

The warning letter criticized the video for exploiting diplomatic events for malicious purposes, stating that Israeli prime ministers traditionally represent the nation with dignity and that the public had hoped for a warm reception of the U.S. president rather than political venom. This incident follows a recent controversy involving Netanyahu's official Twitter account, which posted a video showing a young man wearing a "Unity of Israel" shirt running toward Eizenkot, who then bypasses him to embrace Mansour Abbas. Many viewers associated the young man with Eizenkot's late son, Gal, who was killed during the Iron Swords conflict in Gaza.

A poll conducted by Walla news revealed that 75% of respondents believed the Likud's video attack on Eizenkot crossed a line, while 21% thought the criticism was exaggerated, and 4% had no opinion. The legal action and public backlash highlight ongoing tensions within Israeli political discourse and the sensitivity surrounding personal and national imagery in political campaigns.