NGO Admits Halting Campaign After Legal Challenge

The Democrats Party has filed an urgent petition with the Chairman of the Central Elections Committee, Judge Noam Sohlberg, demanding an order for the "Im Tirtzu" NGO to immediately cease its election campaign, which the party claims is illegal. The petition alleges that Im Tirtzu is functioning as a political entity against the Democrats and other lists, in violation of campaign finance laws and by concealing its funding sources. In its response to the petition, Im Tirtzu admitted that for over a month it has stopped publishing similar advertisements "purely as a precaution." The Democrats interpret this as evidence that their pressure, even before the formal petition, forced the NGO to halt its allegedly unlawful campaign.

The campaign, dubbed "The People's Voice Headquarters," involved directing citizens to online registration forms to collect their personal details. The Democrats contend that this database was built on political filtering and used for direct, personal appeals to voters to dissuade them from voting for the party. Im Tirtzu's admission that it ceased similar advertisements over a month ago, citing "precautionary measures," is seen by the Democrats as proof that their actions compelled the NGO to stop the campaign.

The petition, filed by the Democrats' legal advisor Omri Segev, detailed that Im Tirtzu was running a focused campaign against the Democrats list, specifically targeting Yair Golan, Naama Lazimi, Gilad Kariv, and Yaya Fink. The party claims the campaign involved purchasing advertising space at a cost far exceeding legal limits, without the NGO being registered as an "active election body." Furthermore, the petition raised serious allegations of deep personal ties between Im Tirtzu and the Likud party. It noted that the NGO's founder is a candidate on the Likud's Knesset list, the NGO's chairman has joined the party, the NGO's spokesperson received salary from a minister's public relations budget, and the head of digital affairs is active in support groups identified with Likud and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The Democrats Party stated, "Im Tirtzu's attempt to present itself as a non-partisan civil society organization collapses in its response to the Elections Committee. The organization, whose leaders have clear ties to Likud, personally and sharply attacks the chairman of the Democrats Party, Yair Golan. This conduct proves its clear and biased political nature. We will continue to fight for election integrity and will not allow well-funded, non-transparent shell organizations to corrupt the democratic process."