A SHORT clip showing the latest appearance of Benjamin Netanyahu last Thursday has sparked a wave of conspiracy theories online.
Some netizens questioned what appeared to be an extra finger on the ‘extremist’ leader’s hand, which they suspected was generated by artificial intelligence (AI).
Others who subscribe to conspiracy theories claimed the individual in the clip was a ‘clone’ of Netanyahu, allegedly used to mislead the international community about his current condition following rumours of his death.
The speculation began after social media users shared screenshots of his speech and zoomed in on his right hand.
The comment section soon turned into a debate among netizens who questioned the authenticity of the video, including claims that there were ‘six fingers’ on his right hand, supposedly due to an AI error.
However, analysis and fact-checking of the clip, as reported by International Business Times UK, found that the video had not been manipulated and likely only showed motion blur and compression artefacts commonly seen in digital recordings.
Compression artefacts can cause fast-moving fingers in a video to appear duplicated or merged in screenshots.
To date, Netanyahu’s actual condition remains unclear following rumours that the corruption-tainted leader may have been killed or injured in strikes launched by Iran early last month.
Media networks in Tehran, however, believe the reports based on several indirect indicators, including heightened security around his residence and the postponement of a United States delegation’s visit to Israel.