Shas Party Petitions Supreme Court Over Memorial Event Ban

The Shas party has filed an urgent petition with the Supreme Court of Justice (High Court of Justice) against the Attorney General's decision to prevent a state memorial event for Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, a revered spiritual leader. Shas alleges selective and politically motivated enforcement of election regulations.

The party argues that the ban on the memorial event, scheduled for early October near the anniversary of Rabbi Yosef's passing, constitutes a severe blow to the feelings of believers. They draw a parallel to memorial events for former Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, which they claim are permitted even close to election dates.

Shas initially appealed to the Chairman of the Central Elections Committee, Judge Noam Sohlberg, to overturn the Attorney General's directive. Sohlberg ruled that he lacked the authority to review or cancel the directive, though he did not rule on its merits, stating that the parties could raise their arguments in appropriate proceedings.

The Attorney General, Gali Baharav-Miara, had instructed that the memorial event be postponed until after the upcoming elections, citing concerns about potential violations of election propaganda laws due to the event's proximity to the election date. With Sohlberg's ruling, the Attorney General's directive remains in effect, prompting Shas to escalate the legal battle to the Supreme Court.