In recent weeks, a wave of AI-generated and out-of-context videos has spread across social media platforms, distorting Italy's relationship with Israel. The clips, shared widely on Facebook, YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram, falsely suggest a severe breakdown in bilateral ties.
One video shows Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, draped in a Palestinian flag, refusing a handshake from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a UN meeting before walking out. Another depicts her shouting and throwing documents in a room. Both are fabricated. The first contains visual inconsistencies, including nonsensical Arabic script on a scarf that changes color. The second appears to have been digitally manipulated from photographs of Meloni at the AI Safety Summit in London in November 2023, where she wore the same outfit.
Captions attached to these clips claim that Italy has "terminated all agreements with Israel." This is a gross overstatement. In April, Italy announced it would not renew its defense agreement with Israel, which had been renewed every five years and focused on military equipment and technology research. However, Italy maintains multiple other bilateral agreements with Israel. Moreover, later in April, Italy and Germany rejected calls from other EU member states to suspend the bloc's cooperation agreement with Israel, which provides preferential access to the EU market for certain goods. Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani told reporters that "no decision will be taken" on suspending that agreement.
Old Protest Footage Recirculated
Alongside the deepfake videos, an old clip from 2025 resurfaced on X, showing clashes between police and protesters at Milan's Central railway station during a nationwide strike organized by trade unions in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza. The footage, originally published by Turkish digital news platform TRHaber, was shared with captions claiming that "Italy just shut down for Palestine." The strike had already occurred, and the video was taken out of context. Italian trade union Unione Sindacale di Base has called for a general strike on 18 May in solidarity with Gaza, but that event has not yet taken place, making the outcome unknown.
This is not the first time Meloni has been targeted by AI-generated misinformation. Earlier, a deepfake image of her in lingerie circulated widely, prompting her to speak out. "The issue goes beyond me," she said in a post on X. "Deepfakes are a dangerous tool, because they can deceive, manipulate and target anyone. I can defend myself. Many others cannot." She added, "For this reason, one rule should always apply: verify before believing, and think before sharing. Because today it happens to me, tomorrow it could happen to anyone."
The spread of such content underscores the broader challenge of AI-generated disinformation in European politics. As the EU considers new regulations on AI, including measures to combat deepfakes, incidents like these highlight the need for vigilance. For more on the EU's response, see Meloni Deepfake Stunt Underscores EU Crackdown on AI Nudification Apps. Meanwhile, the manipulation of public perception around Italy-Israel relations risks inflaming tensions in a region already fraught with conflict, as seen in Israeli Strikes Kill 39 in Lebanon as Ceasefire with Hezbollah Unravels.
