Israel’s Oct. 27 Election Becomes Battleground for AI and Personal Attacks
Israel’s Oct. 27 election has become a battleground for AI-generated content and personal attacks, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s bloc and rival Gadi Eisenkot locked in a dead heat.
AI-Generated Content Fuels Electoral Battles
A viral video on X, featuring AI-generated characters including a Hamas member and Iran’s supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei, mocked Netanyahu’s leadership. Netanyahu’s team reciprocated with a video depicting Eisenkot rejecting a hug from a young man, which sparked outrage over claims the young man had been made to resemble Eisenkot’s son who was killed fighting in Gaza in 2023, something Netanyahu’s party denied.
The tactics have escalated tensions. Eisenkot said he had felt “deep contempt for Netanyahu and his entourage” after watching the video. Analysts warn AI is being used to stoke fears about Arab-Israeli political alliances, with images depicting Jewish politicians revealing Arab faces or Arab figures looming over a crumbling parliament building.
Personal Attacks Target Bereaved Candidates
Laly Derai, whose son was killed fighting in Gaza in 2024, faces smear campaigns linking her to his death. Posters urge her to withdraw, but she told AFP: “They’re trying to break me but, paradoxically or not, this campaign has reinforced my decision to enter politics precisely to put an end to this hate-filled rhetoric.”
Mothers of former hostages have also been targeted. A Likud Facebook page juxtaposed two mothers—one calm and flag-waving, the other frenzied—with the caption “It is us or them.”
Inflammatory Rhetoric Targets Candidates to Polarize Voters
Eisenkot, the son of Moroccan Jews, was called a “monkey” by a pro-Netanyahu commentator. The term, while not necessarily a racial slur in Hebrew, drew condemnation from opposition figures and Netanyahu himself.
Online, users have posted inflammatory comments. Some accusations against Derai have invoked her son’s death and claims that she is betraying his memory. These attacks highlight how trauma is exploited to polarize voters, even as candidates like Derai advocate for “universal conscription” to address military exemptions for religious students.
Impact on Electoral Dynamics
Thair Abu Ras of the Van Leer Jerusalem Institute called Netanyahu’s tactics “incitement,” arguing the right wing seeks to delegitimize Arab-Israeli political participation. Polls show the race remains deadlocked, with both sides using AI and emotional appeals to sway voters.
How AI-Generated Images Shape the Election
Candidates use AI to create misleading content, such as Eisenkot’s video featuring Hamas and Iranian figures or Netanyahu’s clips linking opposition politicians to Arab-Israeli parties. These images aim to stoke fears about national security and coalition stability.
Role of Personal Attacks in the Campaign
Candidates who lost family members in the wars following Hamas’s Oct 7, 2023, attack face smear campaigns that exploit their grief. For example, Laly Derai’s son’s death has been weaponized against her, with posters suggesting her candidacy endangers the country.
Social Media’s Influence on the Election
Platforms like X and Facebook host AI-generated content and inflammatory posts, often spreading unverified claims. These spaces have amplified racialized rhetoric and personal attacks, with users sharing images that pit candidates against each other in divisive narratives.
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