'Prime Minister Netanyahu is Full Speed Ahead': Israeli Ambassador to India Reuven Azar Assures Amid 'Deepfake' Photo Buzz

New Delhi: Questions about Benjamin Netanyahu's whereabouts have been buzzing social media ever since photos shared by the Israeli Prime Minister amid the Iran war, got netizens questioning the use of artificial intelligence in creating them. In an exclusive interview with Republic Media Network Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami, Israeli Ambassador to India Reuven Azar assured them that Netanyahu is “full speed ahead.”

Refuting allegations that the recent cafe video shared by Netanyahu showing him sipping coffee has been called ‘deepfake’, Reuven Azar said that Iran is only trying to portray that its regime is still “holding.” 

“Iran is trying to compensate for its losses. There is huge devastation in Iran and they are trying to portray that the regime is holding. That actually the ruling side is the Israeli side and the United States and the Gulf countries. It is ridiculous,” he said. 

“Prime Minister is full speed ahead. I met him more than once since the Modi visit. Israel is performing pretty well in this effort,” Reuven Azar clarified. 

Sharing an update about Israel's mission in the current war in Iran, the Ambassador said, “We are degrading the Iranian capabilities pretty fast. We are going to continue. Actually we exhaust this effort. Either the Iranians change course which seem pretty slim chances right now because they sort of doubled down.”

The Ambassador said that while Netanyahu is taking several precautions given the war in Iran, he is also continuing with his usual routine. 

“When I was in Israel he visited Ashdod port. He is continuing with his regular schedule. Of course he is taking precautions. But things are continuing as usual in terms of his program. No doubt, he has to sit in many cabinet meetings and security consultations. The government is going to pass the budget in the coming days. There are regular things. Israelis are trying to go back to their normal life as much as they can,” Azar said.  

“Despite the fact that there are sirens, the number of launches against Israel are reducing. The only main thing we are dealing now is what to do with schools. We are waiting a few more days to see how we can degrade more...The Prime Minister is actually performing as usual,” he added.

Was Israel Not Expecting Iran to Double Down? 

As Arnab pressed on whether Israel had not expected the war to linger on for so long and whether they have miscalculated Iran's defence, the Israeli Ambassador said that no one had the idea that Iran would go ahead and attak its Gulf neighbours.

“It is predictable what happened. What was unpredictable in which they historically started to shoot at everybody,” Reuven Azar said.

Azar elaborated that while Iran had hoped to pressurise the US and Israel through this strategy, it has actually not worked in its favour.

“They were hoping to exert pressure on the United States and Israel through other countries. But I think the opposite is happening. You saw the UN Security Council very firmly (by the way, it was co-sponsored by India), they condemned Iran. So the pressure is going to be on Iran and its attempts to even fire, even at those they call their friends, is not going to work for them,” the Ambassador said.

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