Israeli Election Committee Chair Demands Answers on Flights for Overseas Voters

The Israeli Central Elections Committee Chairman, Judge Noam Sohlberg, has escalated a legal battle over organized flights for Israelis abroad to vote, demanding detailed clarifications from the American organization AID Coalition regarding its "Fly & Vote" initiative. The Likud party petitioned against the program, questioning whether its activities and assistance to Israelis overseas are subject to Israeli propaganda and party financing laws. Likud argues that organized efforts to bring expatriate Israelis to vote require scrutiny under these regulations.

Fly & Vote presents itself as a non-partisan initiative to help eligible Israelis exercise their right to vote, stating that it does not inquire about voting intentions, condition aid on political stances, and that participants cover their travel costs. The petition also addresses "Fly & Aid," a separate AID Coalition project offering a "service stipend" of $250 per day for up to three days of volunteer activity within Israel. Sohlberg has requested further details from AID Coalition on Fly & Vote and asked Likud if it agrees to remove the Fly & Aid section from the petition following the organization's response.

Sohlberg also raised questions about the scope of his authority as Elections Committee Chairman, ordering Likud and AID Coalition to clarify whether he can issue orders against individuals or corporations outside Israel concerning activities conducted abroad. Both parties were instructed to specify which Fly & Vote operations occur within Israel and which occur outside. The Attorney General was asked to present her principled stance on the jurisdictional issue, which could significantly impact the petition given AID Coalition's American status.

Further complicating the matter, Sohlberg has directed Likud to state whether it agrees to remove several respondents from the petition, including "The Israeli Camp," Orah Peled-Nakash, Bat-El Blaish Sultanik, and the Democratic Party, following their submitted responses. Peled-Nakash and Blaish Sultanik are noted for their past involvement in protests against the government's judicial reforms, a background Likud considers relevant to its claims about the initiative's nature.

A hearing is scheduled for October 6th at the Knesset, where the actual operations of the initiative, discrepancies in information, participant payments, the division of activities between Israel and abroad, and the jurisdictional question will be discussed. Likud had previously sent warning letters to AID Coalition and related parties regarding these initiatives.