Binyamin Netanyahu, who is known for his refusal to use a cell phone during his twelve years as prime minister, is adjusting to the times in his position as the head of the opposition and now carries a smartphone, according to a Yisrael Hayom report.

Netanyahu viewed using a cell phone as a waste of time, instead making calls from the standard phone from his office. In 2014, as he was preparing to be interviewed by a US media outlet, Netanyahu told those around him: “I don’t understand the new world, everyone is taking pictures. When is it enough just to live? Everyone is taking pictures of everyone, just taking picures, that’s all they do. Don’t take pictures – live.”

“I’m the only person here who doesn’t have all these electronic devices. I’m a free man and you’re all slaves to your gadgets. You’re all slaves.”

Even now, very few people know Netanyahu’s new number and he continues to receive most of his calls from the phone in his office. Additionally, he still doesn’t have Whatsapp but he will likely join the ubiquitous messaging app in the near future.

Of course, although Netanyahu didn’t use a smartphone, his assistants certainly did on his behalf, and he is considered one of the most significant influencers on Israeli social media, with over two million followers on his Twitter page and over 2.6 million follows on his Facebook page.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)