Satmar Affiliate Barred From Paying Voters to Abstain

Israel's Central Elections Committee has issued a temporary injunction against Shekel HaTahor, an organization linked to the anti-Zionist Satmar Hasidic movement. The order, issued Friday by committee chairman Judge Noam Sohlberg, prohibits the group from paying or promising money to voters to discourage them from participating in elections. The decision followed an emergency petition by the Movement for Quality Government in Israel. The movement alleged that Shekel HaTahor had begun distributing $200 "aid" payments to members of the Hasidic community who stated they would not vote. Petitioners argued these payments could constitute electoral bribery, as Israeli law forbids compensating individuals for abstaining from voting. Judge Sohlberg found a serious risk of electoral law violations that could compromise the integrity of the vote. The injunction remains in effect indefinitely while authorities continue to investigate Shekel HaTahor's financial activities for potential criminal offenses.