Sohlberg: Netanyahu uses the IDF and public resources for propaganda

Elections Committee Chairman Judge Noam Sohlberg ruled that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made illegal use of the IDF and public resources for election propaganda. The decision was made on six petitions, five of which were accepted in full or in part. Sohlberg ordered Netanyahu to pay personal expenses of 29,000 shekels.

Chairman of the Central Elections Committee, Judge Noam Sohlberg, ruled today on six petitions concerning Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's use of public resources for political publications. Five petitions were accepted in full or in part, and one was rejected. At the center of the decision was Netanyahu's visit to an IDF outpost in southern Lebanon. Sohlberg determined that while the legitimate purpose of the visit was to boost morale and thank soldiers, the video subsequently published on Netanyahu's official accounts primarily showcased the achievements of the government and its leader, while other parts were "cut in editing." Sohlberg wrote in his ruling: "This is, of course, election propaganda." He added that the video uses public filming and distribution resources of the Government Press Office and is entirely based on a visit not available to other candidates, therefore constituting illegal publication under the Propaganda Methods Law. Sohlberg ordered Netanyahu to pay 29,000 shekels in expenses to the petitioners, including the organization "Bocherim BeYisrael."