Election Propaganda Precedent: Likud Must Pay IDF for Military Footage Use
Translated & summarized from JDN by baba
The Central Elections Committee Chairman ruled the Likud party must pay the IDF for using military footage in its election campaign. This precedent follows previous rulings against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for similar uses of public resources. The decision clarifies how military documentation can be used for political purposes, with specific payment terms yet to be fully disclosed.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Likud party must pay IDF for using military footage in election campaign, ruled Judge Noam Sohlberg.
- The ruling sets a precedent for using official military documentation in political propaganda.
- Previous rulings by Sohlberg found improper use of public resources by Prime Minister Netanyahu.
- Netanyahu was previously ordered to pay 29,000 shekels in legal expenses for similar violations.
- The exact payment amounts and fee structure for the Likud party are not yet public.
The Chairman of the Central Elections Committee, Judge Noam Sohlberg, has ruled that the Likud party must pay the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) for using footage filmed by military spokespersons in its election campaign. The decision addresses the use of military documentation, including aerial, tank, and naval vessel footage, for political propaganda purposes. This ruling establishes that materials produced during IDF operations cannot be used for political campaigns without accounting for the cost of utilizing public resources.
The decision follows a series of recent rulings by Sohlberg, who previously determined that public resources were improperly used in political advertisements by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. In one instance, Sohlberg ordered the removal of a video from Netanyahu's personal accounts that was filmed at the Tel Nof Air Force base, showing the Prime Minister in front of a fighter jet. While the video was permitted on the official accounts of the Prime Minister and his office, its use on personal accounts was deemed to include elements of election propaganda.
In another case involving videos documenting Netanyahu's visits to military installations, Sohlberg ruled that using public documentation to promote political messages could violate the election law concerning propaganda methods. In those prior decisions, Netanyahu was ordered to pay 29,000 shekels in legal expenses.
The new ruling clarifies the conditions and required payments for using military documentation in political campaigns, particularly when the materials are produced by a public body. The full text of the decision and the exact payment amounts have not yet been published, making it unclear whether a uniform rate has been set or if payments will be calculated based on the extent of use in each case.
