Israeli Rights Group Urges Minister Merav Michaeli to Ensure Voting Access for Citizens Abroad

The Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI) issued an urgent appeal on Monday to key officials including Central Elections Committee Chair Judge Noam Solberg, Acting CEO Attorney Din Livneh, Transportation Minister Merav Michaeli, and Government Legal Advisor Gali Baharav-Miara. The organization demanded immediate action to prevent any measures that could hinder Israeli citizens abroad from returning to Israel to vote in the upcoming Knesset elections.

This appeal follows reports that senior officials in the Ministry of Transportation are considering steps to block Israelis overseas from arriving via charter flights ahead of the elections, allegedly due to foreign political considerations. ACRI emphasized that the right to vote is a fundamental constitutional right essential to a democratic society, which inherently includes the right of citizens and residents to enter the country to exercise this right.

The association warned that imposing barriers to entry near election time effectively denies thousands of citizens their voting rights, constituting an unlawful act. They further stated that if the motivation behind these measures is to prevent voting based on presumed political preferences, it represents an improper use of governmental authority. ACRI stressed that logistical challenges do not justify infringing on voting rights; rather, the state is constitutionally obligated to facilitate the return of all citizens wishing to vote.

Attorney Elza Buniya, who authored the letter, condemned any obstacles placed before voters, especially if politically motivated, as unconstitutional and an abuse of power by a government "without limits." She reiterated that even absent reports of political motives, bureaucratic or logistical reasons cannot justify restricting citizens’ ability to return and vote. Instead, the government must exert maximum effort to ensure all eligible voters can enter Israel and participate in the elections.