Netanyahu's Election Videos Using IDF Footage Require Pre-Payment

Translated & summarized from Maariv by baba

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Hebrew · 2 newsrooms covering

The Central Elections Committee ruled that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's use of IDF footage in campaign videos requires advance payment, following a pattern of publication and removal. The Likud party was fined 7,500 shekels for expenses. Similar videos will now need proof of payment for approval in future election broadcasts.

The story in 5 lines · by baba

Netanyahu's campaign videos using IDF footage now require advance payment approval.
The Likud party was fined 7,500 shekels by the Central Elections Committee.
The ruling addresses a pattern of publishing and then removing controversial campaign videos.
Use of IDF Spokesperson's Unit footage is subject to similar payment rules as government press materials.
Future election ad approvals will depend on presented proof of payment for such footage.

Netanyahu's Election Videos Using IDF Footage Require Pre-Payment — Editorial illustration generated by baba News, not a photograph of the event.

The Chairman of the Central Elections Committee has ruled that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu repeatedly published videos featuring Israel Defense Forces (IDF) footage, only to remove them before rulings could be made on petitions against their use. Henceforth, advance payment approval will be required for the use of such materials, and the Likud party has been ordered to pay 7,500 shekels in expenses.

Recently, Prime Minister Netanyahu posted various videos on his social media accounts that included footage of Air Force planes, IDF tanks, and Navy ships. When petitions were filed regarding these publications, they were removed before any decision was reached. Similar videos also appeared in the Likud's election campaign advertisements on television.

In response to another petition concerning such a video, the Chairman of the Central Elections Committee sought input from the Attorney General regarding the use of these clips, even if they were later removed. The Attorney General's office indicated that while the exact origin of clips in edited private videos can be uncertain, some appeared to be filmed by the IDF Spokesperson's Unit. No record was found of any request to arrange payment for their use. This video was also removed.

The law prohibits the use of public assets for election propaganda. Materials filmed by the Government Press Office are considered public assets and require payment for use. The Chairman of the Central Elections Committee stated that a similar obligation applies to materials filmed by the IDF Spokesperson's Unit.

While the specific petition was dismissed because the video was removed, the committee noted the pattern of "publishing and removing." The ruling also stipulates that similar videos will not be approved for broadcast in election advertisements unless proof of payment is presented. The Likud party was ordered to pay 1,500 shekels to the petitioner and 6,000 shekels to the state treasury.

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