Full coverage· Politics· Updated
Likud Deal with Expat Voting Groups Approved by Election Official
The Likud party and the organizers of the Fly&Vote and Fly&AID initiatives reached an agreement on Tuesday to settle a legal dispute over flights for Israelis living abroad to vote in the upcoming elections on October 27. The compromise was brokered by the Chairman of the Central Elections Committee, Judge Noam Sohlberg, leading Likud to withdraw its petition.
7 newsrooms · 3 languages · since
What happened
- 01The Likud party and the Fly&Vote and Fly&AID initiatives reached an agreement on Tuesday to settle a dispute over election flights.
- 02Central Elections Committee Chairman Judge Noam Sohlberg brokered the compromise, leading Likud to withdraw its petition.
- 03The initiatives will not offer any additional flights beyond the six already planned, and existing tickets will be sold at commercial rates without subsidies.
- 04Organizers agreed not to provide transportation or accommodation for voters, and they will not operate the paid volunteer program Fly&AID.
- 05The respondents, including the AID Coalition, were ordered to pay 10,000 shekels in legal expenses.
- 06Likud attorney Ilan Bombach argued the programs were an illegal benefit funded by a foreign corporation to influence the October 27 elections.
- 07The organizers maintained that the initiative is non-partisan and aimed solely at encouraging democratic participation among Israelis abroad.
Under the terms of the agreement, the initiatives will not offer any additional flights beyond the six already planned, and existing flight prices will remain at commercial airline rates without any subsidies or discounts. The organizers also agreed not to provide transportation or accommodation for voters, and they will not operate the paid volunteer initiative Fly&AID. The respondents, including the AID Coalition, were ordered to pay 10,000 shekels in legal expenses.
Likud had petitioned the Central Elections Committee, represented by attorney Ilan Bombach, arguing that the programs constituted an illegal benefit funded by a foreign corporation to influence voters. The organizers countered that the initiative was a non-partisan effort to encourage democratic participation and stated they did not provide financial advantages.
Summarized by baba from the reports of 7 newsrooms. Updated
Latest report: Haaretz English. Read Haaretz English’s original
The coverage
7 newsrooms on this story
Who covered it
- Left1
- Centre2
- Right1
- Haredi1
- ArabNone
- Other2
How it broke
How the headlines differ
Likud Deal with Expat Voting Groups Approved by Election Official
