Likud Accuses Fly&Vote Project of Election Bribery Over Flight Subsidies for Overseas Voters

The Likud party sent a stern legal warning on Sunday through attorney Ilan Bombach to the Aid Coalition and other organizations running the Fly&Vote initiative, which subsidizes flight tickets for Israelis abroad ahead of the October 27 elections. Likud alleges the project raises serious suspicions of criminal election bribery, constitutes an illegal political donation under party financing laws, and violates strict rules on election propaganda and voter transportation. The party claims the organizers possess a database of voters' intentions and are deliberately trying to influence them against voting for Likud.

Likud demanded full disclosure of all documents and funding sources within five days, along with an immediate shutdown of the website and cessation of benefits distribution. The party warned that failure to comply would result in an urgent petition to the Central Elections Committee chairman and additional legal actions. In response, the Aid Coalition rejected the accusations, describing the initiative as a nonpartisan civic effort aimed solely at encouraging democratic participation without assessing political preferences.

This dispute unfolds amid a heated public and political debate over the phenomenon of Israelis living abroad traveling to vote in person on October 27. The controversy highlights tensions around electoral influence and the mobilization of overseas voters in Israel's upcoming elections.