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Election Committee Rejects Petitions Against Netanyahu's Military Video
On Sunday, October 25, 2026, the Chairman of the Central Elections Committee, Judge Noam Sohlberg, dismissed three petitions against a video released by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The video, published on October 19, 2026, was filmed at the Ramat David Air Force base and featured Netanyahu standing in front of a fighter jet while warning Israel's enemies.
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What happened
- 01Judge Noam Sohlberg dismissed petitions against a video of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu filmed at the Ramat David Air Force base.
- 02The video, published on October 19, 2026, showed Netanyahu in front of a fighter jet warning Israel's enemies not to test the country.
- 03Sohlberg ruled the video's primary purpose was national deterrence and security, not prohibited election propaganda.
- 04The judge acknowledged that public assets were used and that attributing achievements to the government contained a propagandistic element.
- 05The petitioners, who argued the video violated laws against using public resources for campaigns, were ordered to pay 4,500 shekels in costs.
- 06Sohlberg warned that future similar videos will be harder to justify as security messages as election day approaches.
Petitioners argued that Netanyahu used public assets, specifically the military base and the jet, for election propaganda on his personal accounts. They also contended that the video's attribution of security achievements to the government constituted prohibited campaign material.
Judge Sohlberg ruled that the video's dominant purpose was national security and deterrence rather than election propaganda, and declined to order its removal. While he acknowledged the use of public assets and a propagandistic element in attributing achievements to the government, he found these aspects secondary to the security message. The petitioners were ordered to pay 4,500 shekels in legal costs.
Sohlberg warned that as election day approaches, it will become more difficult to justify similar videos under the guise of security messages. He cautioned that future similar publications will be scrutinized more closely and could be deemed prohibited campaign material.
Summarized by baba from the reports of 3 newsrooms. Updated
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Election Committee Rejects Petitions Against Netanyahu's Military Video
