Israel Election Committee Head Cancels Likud Petition Against Flights for Voters Abroad

Under the compromise brokered by Central Elections Committee Chairman Judge Noam Sohlberg on Tuesday, the initiatives Fly&Vote and Fly&AID will limit their operations to six pre-existing flights. Tickets for these flights will be sold at standard prices determined by the airlines, without any subsidies or discounts from the initiatives. Furthermore, the organizers agreed not to provide transportation, accommodation, or additional flights, and they will not operate the paid volunteer program Fly&AID.

Likud had petitioned the committee through attorney Ilan Bombach, alleging that the initiatives were run by a foreign corporation aiming to influence the election by providing logistical support to voters. The operators countered that their purpose was non-partisan, aiming to provide bureaucratic information, find flight solutions, and encourage democratic participation. According to Haaretz, the AID Coalition had previously stated before the petition was filed that it does not subsidize ticket prices.

Following the mutual understanding, Judge Sohlberg canceled the petition. The organizers of the initiatives, who were the respondents in the petition, agreed to pay 10,000 shekels in legal costs to conclude the dispute.