Netanyahu shares AI image of nuclear blast two days before the election

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday shared an AI-generated image depicting a nuclear explosion over Tel Aviv, two days before Israel's October 27 general election. The image was posted on Netanyahu's official Instagram account.

The image shows a massive mushroom cloud rising over a densely populated city, with a huge explosion engulfing the buildings beneath it. The post said Israel faces an existential threat from Iran and that the country's security depends on the outcome of Tuesday's election.

Remarks in the post

The post asked readers to read Yuval Blumberg's remarks. They state that the State of Israel faces a real and concrete existential danger and that if Iranians obtain nuclear weapons, nothing will be the same as before. They add that everything else is insignificant next to Iran's existential threat and the Shiite axis.

The post drew criticism from opposition leaders, who accused Netanyahu of trying to frighten voters ahead of the polls.

Pre-election background

By way of context, parties have made heavy use of artificial intelligence in the campaign, and observers warn that deepfakes and bots could influence voter behavior. Opinion polls point to a neck-and-neck race between Netanyahu and former Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot.