Israeli Lawyer Calls on Election Committee to Ban Hosting and Subsidizing Overseas Voters as Electoral Bribery

Attorney Ilan Bombach has urged Israel's Central Elections Committee to promptly clarify the legal implications of hosting and subsidizing flights for voters coming from abroad. Representing the Likud party, Bombach submitted a request this week to prohibit organizations from hosting overseas voters at their expense, labeling such acts as electoral bribery. He explained that while some initiatives are well-intentioned, they risk violating Section 122 of the Knesset Elections Law, which forbids offering any benefit to encourage voting, except for transportation from home to polling stations.

Bombach distinguished between legitimate hosting of close relatives visiting from abroad and organized efforts offering meals and subsidized flights to unknown voters, which he said constitute serious criminal offenses. He highlighted a large organization reportedly aiming to bring 50,000 to 70,000 overseas voters to Israel, noting the controversy over non-residents influencing Israeli elections but emphasizing that the law permits their voting rights if they come independently without inducements.

In response to Bombach's request, the committee's legal advisor acknowledged the offense but preferred to wait for actual violations before taking action, a stance Bombach criticized as reactive rather than preventive. He stressed the need for clear public guidelines to prevent inadvertent legal breaches and avoid overwhelming the committee with complaints. Bombach, who serves as deputy chair of the Knesset Elections Committee, raised the issue again in a recent session where Judge Solberg, the committee chair, promised to personally review the matter and respond soon.