Central Election Committee Orders Netanyahu to Remove Campaign Video Featuring Children

The Central Election Committee, led by Judge Noam Solberg, has issued a temporary injunction demanding that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu remove a campaign video filmed at the Malha Mall. The video shows Netanyahu interacting and taking photos with children, which the committee says violates the explicit prohibition on involving children under 15 in election propaganda, as stipulated by Section 2g of the Election Law. The petition, filed by attorney Yaron Meiri, highlights a segment where a child is asked "Who did we vote for?" and replies "Bibi," which is considered a clear breach of the law.

Judge Solberg ordered the video to be taken down from all social media platforms until the conclusion of the legal proceedings. He noted that the video could be re-uploaded if all footage featuring children in personal contact with Netanyahu is removed. The committee is awaiting responses from Netanyahu and the Likud party before proceeding further.

This ruling follows a similar case last week, when the Likud party requested the removal of a campaign video by Gadi Eisenkot and the Yisra party. That video depicted Eisenkot walking against a backdrop of soldiers and combat zones created with artificial intelligence. Likud argued that the video illegally used public assets, specifically the Israel Defense Forces, which Eisenkot's party denied, claiming AI use did not constitute misuse of public property.