Central Elections Committee Orders Naftali Bennett to Remove IDF Footage from Campaign Video

The chairman of Israel's Central Elections Committee, Judge Noam Solberg, has instructed former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett to remove segments from his campaign video that feature Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) soldiers and military equipment. This decision came after the Likud party filed a petition arguing that Bennett's use of IDF assets in election propaganda violates the law. The contested footage shows IDF soldiers during operational activities and artillery, with the video’s message contrasting the long service of soldiers with the alleged draft evasion by ultra-Orthodox Jews.

Judge Solberg ruled that the military footage is not a minor element but directly connects the IDF and its activities to Bennett's political messaging, constituting illegal use of public assets for election purposes. However, the judge clarified that since the military content serves mainly as visual illustration and is limited to specific parts of the video, there is no justification to ban the entire video. Consequently, only the segments displaying IDF soldiers and equipment must be removed, while the rest of the campaign video remains valid.

The ruling highlights ongoing tensions in Israeli politics regarding military service and the role of the ultra-Orthodox community, as well as the legal boundaries of election propaganda. The decision follows the Likud party's formal complaint and sets a precedent for the use of military imagery in political campaigns ahead of the 2026 elections.