Fabricated photo of Miri Regev with Benjamin Netanyahu sparks online controversy

A post published by Minister of Transport Miri Regev ahead of the Likud primaries sparked a storm online over the weekend after it was revealed that the photo in which she appears alongside Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is not a current image, but an edited snapshot from 2022.

In the post, Regev is seen shaking Netanyahu's hand. Alongside the photo, the minister wrote: "Thank you, Mr. Prime Minister, for the trust, for the support, and for the shared path," and subsequently called on Likud members to vote for her in the upcoming primaries, noting her candidate number.

However, users who examined the photo discovered that it does not document a recent meeting. In fact, its source is a photo taken back in 2022, while in the version published now, several details were edited using artificial intelligence — most notably, Regev's clothing, which was adjusted.

One person who addressed the publication was internet personality Evgeny Zarubinsky, who mocked the use of the old photo and claimed that the post could create the impression among users that Netanyahu had recently expressed public support for Regev.

"No, I'm dying, what a scammer," Zarubinsky began. "Miri Regev was apparently upset that Bibi didn't make a supportive video with her and didn't reserve a spot, so she uploaded a photo of them together with the caption 'Thank you, Mr. Prime Minister, for the trust, for the support, and for the shared path...' and of course to vote for her on Monday with her number."

Zarubinsky argued that even without explicitly stating that the photo was current, the context could create such an impression: "In short, without writing it explicitly, to most people who see her post, it looks as if she just came out of Netanyahu's office and they agreed to upload it together — especially so that the voters see that he publicly supports her too because she is a rocket."

He then pointed to the source of the photo: "Only what? The photo she uploaded is a photo from 2022, on which they did a little AI, changed the shirt and such. After all, a coat is not relevant now. As if she couldn't find a newer photo of them together in this pose."

The publication sparked many reactions online, mainly due to the timing — a few days before the Likud primaries and at a time when public support from Netanyahu could serve as a significant asset for candidates. Zarubinsky reached out to the minister's office, which responded: "We thank you for your cooperation in raising awareness of the minister's campaign, whose number in the primaries is 138."