Court Bans Use of State Emblem in Election Campaigning

The Chairman of the Central Elections Committee, Supreme Court Justice Noam Sohlberg, has ruled against Moshe Feiglin and his "Zeut" party regarding the illegal use of the state emblem in election propaganda. The ruling came in response to a petition filed by attorney Yaron Mairi, who argued that Feiglin's campaign violated election laws.

Feiglin had posted an image on his TikTok account featuring the state emblem, the Menorah with olive branches, accompanied by the slogan "Israel, the Nation of the Jewish People." The accompanying text elaborated on the party's demand to change the official name and definition of Israel. The petition cited a section of the Election Law that prohibits the use of public assets for campaign purposes, distinguishing between the national flag, which is permissible, and the state emblem, deemed an intangible public asset not allowed for campaign use.

In their defense, Feiglin and the Zeut party, represented by attorney Yair Feiglin, claimed the use of the emblem was part of their ideological message to propose a revised symbol. However, Justice Sohlberg rejected this argument, noting that the image displayed the original state emblem with the slogan beneath it. He stated that the party could convey its message through other means without using the official state emblem.

Justice Sohlberg granted the petition, ordering the removal of the image in its current form. He clarified that the party could republish the advertisement without the state emblem. Additionally, Feiglin and the Zeut party were ordered to pay 5,000 shekels in legal costs to the petitioner.