In video, Netanyahu mocks conspiracy theories about his death
Visiting a Jerusalem Hills cafe, premier debunks claim his recent live press conference was AI-generated, quips that he is ‘dying’ for coffee
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu posted a video on Sunday mocking conspiracy theories that have spread on social media in recent days that claim he was killed in an Iranian strike.
The minute-long video shows the premier ordering coffee from Sataf, a coffee shop in the Jerusalem Hills, while he interacts with the store employees and his cameraman.
“I am dying… for a coffee,” the premier says, as he places his order.
“I love my nation to death,” he continues, “and how they are conducting themselves.”
אומרים שאני מה? צפו >> pic.twitter.com/ijHPkM3ZHZ
— Benjamin Netanyahu – בנימין נתניהו (@netanyahu) March 15, 2026
The Hebrew-language video was posted to Netanyahu’s social media accounts with the caption, “They’re saying I’m what?”
The rumors regarding Netanyahu’s well-being took off when the account @The_Kremlin tweeted a fake screenshot that it claimed was a deleted post from the official Prime Minister of Israel X account.
The forged screenshot claims to show the Prime Minister’s Office telling the public that “efforts are underway to establish contact” with Netanyahu, and insisting that “rumors circulating on social media about PM Benjamin Netanyahu’s status are UNCONFIRMED.”
“Heads up EVERYONE. @netanyahu is DEAD,” wrote the social media account that shared the forged image. “Official X handle of @IsraeliPM just deleted this tweet.”
The claim was immediately debunked below by Grok, Elon Musk’s AI chatbot that people frequently tag underneath posts on X to ascertain whether they are accurate.
No, false. Netanyahu is alive. He held a live press conference March 12 (broadcast by GPOIsrael) and addressed Iran ops again today. Reuters/NYT confirm he's active. The IsraeliPM post calls social media rumors "unconfirmed" but states he "remains committed to Israel's security."…
— Grok (@grok) March 13, 2026
Other, more traditional fact-checking sources all agreed that the screenshot of the @IsraeliPM tweet was fake.
Netanyahu also took the opportunity to address another conspiracy theory, after rumors spread online that his televised press conference on Thursday night was AI-generated.
The rumor began spreading after anti-Israel social media accounts claimed that footage from the press conference briefly showed him sporting six fingers on one hand.
The claim was spread by prominent anti-Israel figures, including conservative influencer Candace Owens, who regularly engages with antisemitic conspiracies.
“Where is Bibi Netanyahu?” she demanded to know in one of several posts she made on the matter. “Why is his office releasing and deleting fake AI videos from him and why is there mass panic at the White House?”
In another tweet several hours later, she insisted that there was “a cover-up afoot regarding the health of Bibi Netanyahu.”
Fact-checkers debunked the claim of Netanyahu appearing to have six fingers in the footage, and attributed the matter to an odd camera angle. According to Newsweek, the viral clip that sparked the rumor appeared to be blurrier still than the original live broadcast, potentially leading to further confusion.
“Do you want to count my fingers?” Netanyahu asks in Sunday’s video, holding his hands up to the camera one by one, before taking a sip of his coffee.
Asked if he has a message he wants to share with the public, the premier encourages Israelis to leave their homes for a breath of fresh air, but to remain near a shelter at all times due to the threat of ballistic missile attacks from Iran and rocket fire from Lebanon.
“Your stance is amazing. It gives strength to me, to the government, to the IDF, to the Mossad,” he says, addressing the Israeli public. “We are doing things that I can’t share at this moment, but we are doing things — hitting Iran very hard, even now, as well as Lebanon.”
Urging the public to continue to follow the guidelines issued by the Home Front Command “at all times,” Netanyahu promises that government restrictions on activity are being lifted as much as possible.
The Times of Israel Community.