Story By: Lee Bullen, Sub Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency:  Newsflash

A photo of Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu apparently snoozing on a plane floor after signing the historic Israel-UAE-Bahrain peace accord has sparked debate among supporters and opponents.

The photo, which was initially circulated on social media by Likud (Israeli political party) activists, shows the Israeli PM asleep next to an open book on an El Al plane floor.

The image was reportedly snapped on the return flight from signing the Israel-UAE-Bahrain peace accord at the White House in Washington last week.

The photo was widely circulated on social media, sparking a debate between his supporters and opponents.

The PM’s supporters praised him for working hard while opponents on social media claimed that it tried to hide a mattress on the floor of the first-class area which suggested it could have been staged to garner sympathy.

The PM and his family originally planned to travel to the US capital on a private jet to attend the ceremony on Tuesday, however, they changed their plans after the move was slammed as wasteful and insensitive amid the financial cost of the country’s second COVID-19 lockdown.

Instead, they flew on the same El Al plane as the travelling press and delegation members.

The Israeli government gave final approval to a three-week national lockdown after the country saw a spike in virus cases in recent weeks.

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