Viral Photo Of Israel PM Netanyahu Speaking On Phone With Taped Camera Draws Attention Online

Last Updated:January 27, 2026, 21:41 IST

The image, shared widely on social media, has drawn attention to the taped camera on Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu’s phone.

Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu is seen speaking on a phone in this unverified image circulating on social media. (IMAGE: X/@_GlobeObserver)

A photograph of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaking on a smartphone, with the area around the camera appearing to be taped, has gone viral online, drawing attention to the device in his hand.

The image shows Netanyahu wearing a black jacket over a white shirt and leaning against a dark vehicle while on a phone call. Social media users quickly focused on the phone’s camera area, which appears to be covered with tape or a sticker.

The detail prompted questions online about the device and the reason behind the obscured camera.

The photograph was first shared by an X account called Globe Observer before being reposted by widely followed news-focused and geopolitics accounts, including Mario Nawfal and Clash Report, among others. It was subsequently amplified across social media platforms.

News18 has not independently verified the authenticity or timing of the image.

Many online users questioned what model of phone Netanyahu might be using and why the camera appeared to be covered, leading to broader discussion on social media about security practices and the use of smartphones by political leaders.

There has been no official comment from the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office on the photograph or the device seen in the image.

Former FBI director James Comey defended the practice of covering device cameras as a basic security precaution during a conference hosted by the Center for Strategic and International Studies in 2016, according to a report by The Hill.

Comey, who once faced online mockery after admitting that he taped over webcams, described the measure as “sensible". “You go into any government office and we all have the little camera things that sit on top of the screen," he said, noting that many of them come with covers that can be closed.

“You do that so that people who don’t have authority don’t look at you," Comey added, as quoted by The Hill.

News world Viral Photo Of Israel PM Netanyahu Speaking On Phone With Taped Camera Draws Attention Online

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