Israel

Netanyahu Releases Multiple Videos Amid Rumors He Was Killed

Have we crossed a Rubicon with AI or do these videos raise more questions than they answer?

MAR 16·Updated MAR 17

Netanyahu Releases Multiple Videos Amid Rumors He Was Killed

Story

Above: Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a joint press conference with his Indian counterpart, Narendra Modi, in Jerusalem on Feb. 26. Image credit: Gil Cohen-Magen/AFP/Getty Images

The Facts

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu released multiple videos on his social media channels on Sunday and Monday amid rumors that he had been killed.
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Metro
Turkiye Today
Unconfirmed reports suggesting that Netanyahu was killed in an Iranian strike first appeared in Iran-affiliated media, and speculation further spread when Netanyahu was absent from a meeting of his country's security cabinet last week. The rumors grew when an earlier video was released on his social media channels on March 13.
Tasnim News Agency on X
The Jerusalem Post
Turkiye Today
I24News
Ynet
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Following that video, some users postulated it was AI-generated, alleging that six fingers could be seen on one hand and that teeth disappeared and reappeared in certain frames of the footage.
Sumit Singh Rajput on X
Humi on X
In an apparent effort to quell the rumors, a further video was posted on Sunday. This time, Netanyahu appeared at a café on the outskirts of Jerusalem. Using a Hebrew expression meaning "to be crazy about," he said: "I am dead...for coffee."
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Reuters
Turkiye Today
LBC
The Israeli leader also raised his hands to the camera and said: "Do you want to count my fingers? You can see them here, and here. See? Very nice."
LBC
Turkiye Today
However, online debate continued with users — as well as Grok, X's AI engine — asserting it was also AI-generated. A further video from the same coffee shop was released on Monday and appeared more definitive in confirming the Israeli leader was, in fact, alive and well — though that has also faced allegations it was AI-generated.
Zak on X
Grok on X
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The Times of Israel

Sources Split

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The Spin

Narrative A

This saga demonstrates we have crossed a Rubicon with AI. A leader of a nation has had to release multiple videos to prove he was alive, and despite doing that, some are still unconvinced as to whether the news is genuine. Technology that was supposed to liberate us has made it harder to know what's real.

TFTC on X

Narrative B

Though these videos were released to demonstrate that Netanyahu was alive, every time one went out, online users quickly pointed out the numerous faults and glitches. These videos raised more questions than they answered.