Netanyahu: Report on Likud fake news network is a ‘lie’ and ‘libel’

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says the report of a Likud fake news network is a “lie” and “libel” propagated by his opponents and the media.

At a special news conference to address the report, the premier says, “Our opponents have no way to counter our achievements” and thus every other day invent “a new libelous tale.

“Today they outdid themselves…[with] the bot libel,” he says. “Boldly, with interminable arrogance, they lie, they say you people speaking online aren’t real.”

He says “almost all of the examples” of supposed fake news accounts provided by the report, “maybe all of them, have been revealed to be real people.”

He introduces one such person sitting beside him, Giora, who he says is identified on Twitter by the moniker Captain George. “Tell me Giora, are you a real person? Are you a bot?” he asks. “Giora says what he thinks. It’s such a huge lie.”