In AI-made Likud ad, Mamdani, Khamenei and Erdogan prematurely celebrate Netanyahu’s defeat

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday published an AI-generated video grouping New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani with Israel’s geopolitical adversaries, including Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei.

The campaign video, which was posted on Netanyahu’s X account and labeled as AI-generated, opens with a digitally animated version of Mamdani speaking on the phone with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

“Erdogan, bro, are you coming to the party of The Fall of Netanyahu elections?” the AI Mamdani asks the Turkish leader in English.

“Of course!” the Erdogan avatar replies in Turkish. “I am coming with what remains of Mojtaba.”

The video then cuts to Khamenei, who has not appeared publicly since being wounded in US-Israeli airstrikes in late February, lying in a hospital bed with both legs broken.

“Finally, we will bring Netanyahu down!” he says in Persian.

אויבי ישראל רוצים שנתניהו יפול. אסור לתת להם לנצח ???????? pic.twitter.com/7aOL0Xlxu3

— Benjamin Netanyahu – בנימין נתניהו (@netanyahu) September 4, 2026

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas then appears, saying, “I’m already on my way. I’m five minutes away from Kfar Saba,” a central Israeli city near the West Bank.

The AI-generated video then shifts to a television screen reading, “2026 Elections: The Full Results,” with Netanyahu seen defeating his main opponent, Yashar party leader Gadi Eisenkot. Most polls in recent weeks have shown Eisenkot holding a narrow lead over the premier, but neither of the blocs they lead attaining a Knesset majority.

“Oh, shit. Cancel the party,” Mamdani says with a frown.

“I’m going back to my bunker,” Khamenei adds, before Erdogan silently ends the call.

“They want Netanyahu to fall. Don’t let them win,” a voiceover says, as pictures of the four synthetically depicted leaders appear on the screen.

The same message appeared last month on a campaign billboard in Tel Aviv, though Abbas was then replaced by Naim Qassem, the leader of the Hezbollah terror group.

Mamdani has been an outspoken critic of Israel and has called Netanyahu a “war criminal,” initially vowing to arrest the premier should he visit New York City.

אל תתנו להם לנצח pic.twitter.com/JgvJXAPtia

— Benjamin Netanyahu – בנימין נתניהו (@netanyahu) August 16, 2026

The mayor later acknowledged, however, that the city lacked the authority to arrest Netanyahu on the basis of a warrant issued by the International Criminal Court over allegations of war crimes in Gaza.

Netanyahu has repeatedly highlighted Mamdani’s criticism and has said he plans to visit the city for the United Nations General Assembly later this month.

Critics of Mamdani’s remarks about Netanyahu had predicted that the premier would leverage them in his reelection campaign.

Netanyahu also posted a video montage last month showing Mamdani calling him a “war criminal,” followed by the same campaign message featured in Friday’s AI-generated video and on the billboard.

Mamdani has yet to comment publicly on Netanyahu’s campaign messaging against him.

Netanyahu has in the past also published campaign ads linking Eisenkot to Arab political leaders, namely Mansour Abbas of Ra’am, claiming his rival would be unable to form a government without the support of Arab parties.