‘Have a problem, call the PM,’ says Netanyahu as he gives out his number in campaign video

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently uploaded what he claimed was his personal phone number in a campaign video, urging Israelis to contact him with their concerns and inquiries. This move, intended to engage voters, proved to be a double-edged sword as it generated an overwhelming response, causing the WhatsApp platform to block the associated number within minutes.

Some users speculated that the stunt was merely a ploy to collect voter data. In the video, Netanyahu's longtime adviser Topaz Luk initially questioned Netanyahu's decision, to which he replied that he wanted to hear from his constituents, answering as many messages and calls as possible. However, the number was overwhelmed with hundreds of messages and calls almost instantly, leading to the blocking of the WhatsApp account.

Other theories suggested that the purpose of this exercise was to harvest phone numbers of potential voters. Netanyahu has done this before, handing out his number in the 2022 election. Despite the controversy, Netanyahu faces a challenging re-election campaign, with 20% of voters remaining undecided and many disillusioned Likud supporters.