Misbar investigated the viral claim and found it to be fake. The image has several indications that it is AI-generated.

Bono and Bob Geldof’s Photo is AI-generated

Misbar’s team first analyzed the photo and found several inconsistencies indicating that the photo was fake. The Israeli flag Bob Geldof is holding has two vertical blue stripes, while the true Israeli flag only has two horizontal blue stripes.

Moreover, Geldof's left hand’s nails are slightly distorted and slightly overlap the Israeli flag, while his right hand is clearly distorted. The distorted hands are a signal that the image was generated by AI, as AI image generators often have particular difficulty replicating fingers.

Misbar’s team searched for the image through a reverse image search but did not find any credible media outlet posting it. Furthermore, no news outlets reported that Bono and Bob Geldof staged a vigil outside the Israeli embassy in Dublin.

Finally, Misbar’s team ran the image on an AI-image detector called Hive. The test indicated a result of a 99.1% probability of being AI-generated.

Israel Closes Its Embassy in Ireland

The fake image went viral after Israel announced it would close its embassy in Ireland, over Dublin’s recognition of a Palestinian state.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said the decision was made in light of the “extreme anti-Israel policies of the Irish government.” He accused Ireland of crossing “every red line” in its relations with Israel.

Israel’s announcement was condemned by Ireland. The Irish Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Simon Harris described it as a “deeply regrettable” decision, saying that Ireland supports peace and a two-state solution, but speaks up for human rights and international law and “nothing will distract that.”

The announcement came a week after Ireland’s announcement of its support for South Africa’s legal action against Israel at the ICJ, further contributing to Israel’s growing international isolation. Eight months before the announcement, Ireland recognized the state of Palestine as well, becoming one of three European countries to recognize it.

The Palestinian cause is largely popular in Ireland, with parallels often drawn to Ireland’s struggle against centuries of British occupation

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