Shas Party Releases New Election Ad to Circumvent Ban on Previous Military-Themed Video

Following the election committee chairman's decision to ban Shas party's original video featuring a soldier joining the Kiddush ceremony, the party released a new ad on Tuesday that closely resembles the previous one. The new video again shows the same family observing the Havdalah ceremony, a tradition of Mizrahi Jews, but this time the soldier's weapon is hidden under the table. Only a green khaki shirt and a fabric strap hint that the figure might be an Israel Defense Forces soldier.

This change allows Shas to argue that the person depicted is a civilian, not a soldier, and that the strap is actually part of a side bag, not military gear. This move appears to be a strategic attempt to bypass the ruling by Judge Solberg, chairman of the election committee, who had prohibited the use of state symbols like the IDF in election propaganda.

Observers note the cleverness of the new ad in conveying the same message while technically complying with the ban. It remains to be seen if opponents will file a new petition to block this latest video, which effectively sidesteps the previous court decision. The controversy highlights the ongoing tensions around election advertising and the use of military imagery in political campaigns in Israel.