Israel Election Flights Deal Reached After Likud Lawsuit
Translated & summarized from Channel 9 by baba
An agreement was reached between the Likud party and organizers of "election flights" for Israelis abroad, resolving a lawsuit filed by Likud. The deal, brokered by the Chairman of the Central Elections Committee, Noam Solberg, allows existing flights to proceed at commercial rates but prohibits new flights and subsidies. The organizers will pay 10,000 shekels in legal costs.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Likud and election flight organizers reached a deal brokered by Judge Noam Solberg.
- The agreement allows existing flights to proceed at commercial rates.
- New flights and ticket subsidies for voters abroad are prohibited.
- The organizations will pay 10,000 shekels in legal costs.
- Likud had sued, claiming the flights offered material benefits to voters.
The dispute over special "election flights" for Israelis living abroad has been resolved, with the Chairman of the Central Elections Committee, Judge Noam Solberg, brokering an agreement between the Likud party and the organizers of the Fly&Vote and Fly&AID projects. Likud had filed a lawsuit, alleging that the projects offered material benefits to voters, potentially influencing the election outcome.
Under the agreement, the ongoing legal proceedings will be halted. The prices for existing flight tickets offered by the projects will remain at commercial airline rates, and no new flights will be organized. Furthermore, the organizers are prohibited from subsidizing ticket costs or offering additional discounts to participants through the projects. The organizations will also pay 10,000 shekels in legal costs.
Previously, Fly&Vote had planned seven special flights to Israel, six from New York and one from Lisbon, with round-trip tickets priced at $1,800 from New York and $580 from Lisbon, including taxes and luggage. The Lisbon flight was arranged as an alternative after TAP Air Portugal canceled its flights to Tel Aviv.
Organizers maintained that their project assists Israelis abroad with finding flights, handling bureaucratic issues, and organizing travel, without paying for or subsidizing flights. They emphasized the project's non-partisan nature and stated it does not inquire about participants' political preferences. Likud, however, argued that such activities could constitute providing material benefits to voters in exchange for their participation in the elections. The project representatives countered that their sole aim is to help Israelis exercise their right to vote, regardless of their political leanings.
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