Netanyahu employs controversial tactics to boost re-election chances amid tight race

With the Israeli election expected to be tightly contested, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has resorted to a string of contentious actions to sway voters. He shared an AI-generated picture of a nuclear blast over Tel Aviv on social media, claiming a “second Holocaust” would follow his defeat. He has urged a coordinated US-Israeli attack on Iran, a plan that was not approved by President Donald Trump, who later posted a supportive endorsement for Netanyahu.

In the West Bank, Netanyahu ordered a major military sweep after an attack in Hebron, displacing thousands and prompting soldiers to question the operation’s purpose. He also suggested Israel adopt cryptocurrency and blockchain to sidestep potential sanctions, a proposal rejected by the Bank of Israel and many economists. Additional controversy stems from his meeting with far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Police Commissioner Daniel Levy, which the Attorney General initially opposed, and from footage suggesting a deal with an ultra-Orthodox rabbi’s party in exchange for a deputy minister post.