Netanyahu Ordered to Remove Election Propaganda Videos Using IDF Resources

The Chairman of the Elections Committee, Judge Noam Sohlberg, has ordered Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to remove social media videos that improperly utilized the IDF and public resources for election campaigning. Sohlberg accepted five out of six petitions filed against Netanyahu, ruling that the content constituted election propaganda. In one instance, a video showed Netanyahu visiting an IDF post in southern Lebanon. Sohlberg determined that the video primarily highlighted the government's and the Prime Minister's achievements, while portions related to "boosting morale and honoring soldiers" were edited out. "This is, of course, election propaganda," the decision stated. Sohlberg mandated that Netanyahu remove the publications from his accounts and pay 29,000 shekels in expenses to the petitioners.

Last week, Sohlberg issued a similar order to Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir, requiring him to remove a video from social media that depicted him confronting security prisoner Hassan Salameh. The petition against that video argued that filming within a prison violated the prohibition on using public assets for election propaganda. Sohlberg agreed with the petitioners, stating that "Minister Ben-Gvir boasted about his actions, described his future political plan, and conveyed a personal message that only the minister deters." Therefore, according to Sohlberg, "the purpose of the video is election propaganda, not deterrence."