Israel's Attorney General Insists Rabbi Ovadia Yosef Memorial Event Postponed Past Elections

Israel's Attorney General, Gali Baharav-Miara, reiterated her position that the memorial event for the spiritual leader of the Shas party, Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, should be held after the upcoming elections. In a document sent Wednesday, she stated she does not oppose the event itself, acknowledging the public importance of commemorating Rabbi Yosef's legacy and noting no general prohibition on memorial events.

However, Baharav-Miara explained that the event cannot be funded by the government on its originally planned dates of October 6-8. She cited concerns that holding it before the elections could be considered election propaganda, as the event is described as having experiential content and media coverage, rather than being a simple memorial.

The event, legislated by the Knesset to commemorate Rabbi Yosef on the anniversary of his passing, is set for October 14 this year. The Attorney General's previous objection to this date due to its proximity to the elections sparked a dispute with the Shas movement.

In response to the Attorney General's decision, Shas argued that if their event must be postponed, then the state memorial for the assassination of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, a prominent political figure, should also be postponed, or both events should proceed as scheduled.