Complaint Filed Against MK Gilad Kariv Over Funding Flights for Overseas Voters

A formal complaint has been submitted against Israeli MK Gilad Kariv following revelations that he encouraged funding flights for voters abroad to return to Israel for the upcoming elections. The organization B'Tselem petitioned the Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara and the Chair of the Elections Committee, Judge Noam Solberg, demanding a criminal investigation into Kariv for allegedly offering illegal benefits to influence voters.

The complaint stems from footage aired by Channel 14 journalist Ishay Friedman, showing Kariv urging members of the Democratic Party to financially assist family and friends overseas by paying for their plane tickets to Israel so they can vote. B'Tselem's lawyer Shmuel Glick argued this violates election laws prohibiting the provision of benefits to sway voters, potentially constituting electoral bribery and undermining democratic integrity.

The exposure highlights coordinated efforts by left-wing parties and activists linked to the Kaplan protest movement to bring Israelis abroad back to vote, with estimates suggesting this could affect the allocation of about three Knesset seats. The complaint calls for immediate approval of a probe into Kariv's actions to uphold election fairness ahead of the 2026 elections.