Sanctioned Israeli minister deletes AI video mocking Palestinian prisoners

Israel's far-right National Security Minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, has removed two videos from his social media accounts that were criticized for promoting poor treatment of Palestinian prisoners. One of the videos was AI-generated, featuring seemingly overweight Palestinian prisoners who appeared to transition from smiling and laughing in an Israeli courtroom to gaunt and tearful after being taken into custody.

The video, posted by Ben-Gvir on Sunday, sparked outrage on social media, with accusations comparing Israeli prisons to concentration camps. Critics, including US Democratic Congressman Ruben Gallego, slammed the video for its portrayal of cruel treatment of Palestinian prisoners. Ben-Gvir has been a vocal critic of Palestinian prisoners' conditions since joining Benjamin Netanyahu's cabinet as National Security Minister.

Days before the AI video's release, Ben-Gvir faced criticism for another video showing him speaking to female Palestinians in a prison, where they complained about hygiene, lack of showers, and medical care. Ben-Gvir likened their concerns to those of Israeli hostages held by Hamas, labeling their complaints as "whining." The Israeli human rights organization, The Public Committee Against Torture, urged Israeli election officials to order Ben-Gvir to remove the Damon prison video, arguing that the political exploitation of state custody for electoral gain constituted a violation of Geneva Convention protections against humiliating and degrading treatment.