Gadi Eisenkot sent a warning letter to Yonatan Urich: "Purposes of poison and destruction"
Ben Caspit reveals: The new rules of the Elections Committee have just come into effect, and a first confrontation has already been recorded - Yonatan Urich uploaded an AI video in which Netanyahu and Trump are seen joking at the expense of Gadi Eisenkot - without the required marking. The "Yashar" party sent an urgent warning letter - and the video was removed.
The Central Elections Committee, chaired by Judge Noam Sohlberg, began implementing new and strict guidelines this week regarding the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in election propaganda. The rules, which came into effect three months before the election date, require all parties to openly and clearly label any content created or significantly altered using AI tools.
However, shortly after the instructions came into effect, Yonatan Urich, an advisor to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and a member of the Likud media team, published a series of AI-based content on social media without the required disclosure.
Among the posts uploaded by Urich were graphic images of billboards bearing Netanyahu's picture, supposedly placed in various destinations around the world and the region, including Tehran, Paphos, Khan Yunis, and the Dahiyeh in Beirut. The climax came in an AI video in which former US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu were seen joking in Hebrew at the expense of Gadi Eisenkot.
The response from Eisenkot and his party, "Yashar," was not long in coming. The party's lawyers sent an urgent warning letter before a lawsuit to the Prime Minister's advisor. Eisenkot's associates clarified that although the tweet was posted from Urich's account, "the voice is the voice of Netanyahu and the voice of the Likud party."
"Israel's prime ministers throughout the generations have flown overseas as representatives of the people of Israel and the State of Israel," wrote attorney Uri Haberman on behalf of the party. "In this spirit, we all expected and hoped for a sympathetic and warm reception from the US President and wished for the success of the visit. We regret that instead of focusing on achieving important political accomplishments, you chose (once again) to exploit the event for purposes of poison and venom."
In the official letter sent to Urich, signed by attorney Uri Haberman and attorney Adi Marinberg, a clear 24-hour ultimatum was set to carry out two main requirements. First, Urich was required to immediately remove the video from every platform where it was published or edit it so that it complies with the conditions of section 2a2(a).
Second, it was required to add a clarification that the video constitutes propaganda by the Likud party, in accordance with section 2a1 of the law. The letter clarified that if these requirements are not met in full and on time, the party will act to take every procedure available to it by law, without further notice.
