Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is not only a politician but has also once been a commando of a special forces unit. This is the reason why his thinking regarding security has always been very strict and cautious. Recently, one of his pictures has gone viral on social media, which has surprised people all over the world. In the viral picture, Netanyahu is seen talking on the phone, but people’s attention was more focused on the red tape on his phone’s camera than on his face. Questions began to arise that why did Netanyahu, who is counted among the most powerful and dangerous leaders of the world, need to cover the phone’s camera?

In this picture viral on social media platform Many types of stickers are seen on the back cover of his phone, but what attracts the most attention is the red tape stuck lengthwise on the phone’s camera. As soon as the picture surfaced, a debate broke out on social media. Some people called it excessive caution while others called it a smart security move in the era of modern espionage.

Netanyahu using a phone with its camera taped over.

Highly likely done as a security measure to prevent spying or recording in sensitive areas. pic.twitter.com/N8M8Cc2uD1

— Clash Report (@clashreport) January 27, 2026

Why tape on camera? Fear of spyware like Pegasus

In today’s era, there are dangerous spyware like Pegasus, which can activate the camera and microphone of the smartphone without the user’s knowledge. In such a situation, putting tape on the camera is considered to be a very low-tech, but the most effective method, so that no person can record the video silently. Interestingly, Netanyahu often praises the power of technology and innovation, but he himself has adopted the old-fashioned, reliable method of avoiding the same technology. According to security experts, this method is still considered very effective for high-profile leaders.

Which phone does Netanyahu use?

According to AI assistant ‘Grok’ and several media reports, Benjamin Netanyahu uses an iPhone. However, due to national security reasons in Israel, strict restrictions have been imposed on Chinese smartphones and some foreign apps, such as TikTok. It is also interesting that not only Netanyahu, but also Meta (Facebook) CEO Mark Zuckerberg keeps tape on the camera and microphone of his laptop in a similar manner. This shows that even the biggest experts in technology are not completely safe from digital espionage.

Is this photo of Netanyahu real?

Some users on the internet claimed that this picture could be AI-generated. However, Israeli media and independent investigations have so far found no evidence to prove that the photo is fake. In fact, even before this, Netanyahu has been seen several times in sensitive government buildings with a phone taped to the camera. This makes it clear that this is not a new habit, but a part of their security strategy.

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