Israel's National Security Minister Fined for Misusing Public Resources
Translated & summarized from Ice by baba
The Chairman of the Central Elections Committee, Judge Noam Sohlberg, fined Israeli Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir 35,000 shekels for improperly using public resources for election propaganda. Sohlberg also banned the re-uploading of a video showing Ben-Gvir in a prison cell with inmates. This ruling follows previous instances where Ben-Gvir was reprimanded and fined for similar violations, including using prison tours and police officers in campaign materials. The fines are to be paid by Ben-Gvir personally and his ministry.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir was fined 35,000 shekels for misusing public resources for election propaganda.
- The Central Elections Committee banned the re-uploading of a prison visit video featuring inmates.
- This ruling is the final decision on a petition concerning Ben-Gvir's campaign videos.
- Ben-Gvir has faced previous rulings against using public assets for political campaigning.
- The fines include personal payment by Ben-Gvir and payment by his ministry and the prison service.
The Deputy President of the Supreme Court and Chairman of the Central Elections Committee, Judge Noam Sohlberg, has ruled that Israeli Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir made improper use of public resources for election propaganda. Sohlberg prohibited the re-uploading of a video to social media that was filmed during Ben-Gvir's visit to a prison in southern Israel. In the video, Ben-Gvir is seen in a cell with inmates he claimed had planned to assassinate him. The minister's faction was also ordered to pay 35,000 shekels in expenses.
This decision is considered final regarding the petition. Previously, Sohlberg had issued an interim order to immediately remove the video pending further investigation. Ben-Gvir's argument that blurring the faces of prison staff and inmates legitimized the publication was rejected.
This is not the first time Ben-Gvir has faced such rulings. In March, Sohlberg ordered the minister to delete two propaganda videos filmed while exploiting his ministerial position, which included tours of prisons and conversations with guards. At that time, the judge stated, "Public assets are not a stage prop for election propaganda." Ben-Gvir was also ordered to pay expenses in that instance.
Further compounding the issue, in August, the Elections Committee instructed Ben-Gvir to blur the faces of police officers appearing in campaign videos. This was due to the concern that using police officers in uniform and on duty created an improper association between security forces and the party, constituting a misuse of public assets. A similar incident occurred in June when Sohlberg ordered Ben-Gvir to immediately remove a video posted after the arrest of "Al-Sumud" activists, following a petition by the Movement for Quality of Government. The movement argued that the video constituted election propaganda using state facilities and prison service personnel.
The total expenses ordered amount to 35,000 shekels: Ben-Gvir personally must pay 10,000 shekels to the Movement for Quality of Government, while the Ministry of National Security and the Prison Service will pay an additional 25,000 shekels to the state. Separately, in July, the Jerusalem District Court ruled that Ben-Gvir could not rely on parliamentary immunity to prevent a defamation lawsuit filed against him by Roni Chen, a former right-wing activist who testified about his actions in a previous investigative report.
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