Sohlberg orders removal of Ben-Gvir prison video, imposes NIS 20,000 costs

Central Elections Committee chairman Justice Noam Sohlberg ordered National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and his Otzma Yehudit party to remove a prison video from social media, ruling it constituted election propaganda produced using public resources. Sohlberg imposed NIS 20,000 in legal costs, split equally between Ben-Gvir personally and his party, rejecting the deterrence argument.

Central Elections Committee chairman Justice Noam Sohlberg ordered National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and his Otzma Yehudit party to remove a video from social media, ruling it constituted election propaganda produced using public resources. The video, filmed during Ben-Gvir's prison visit to convicted Hamas terrorist Hassan Salameh, shows Ben-Gvir telling the prisoner, 'I want to kill you. I want to put you to death.' Sohlberg imposed NIS 20,000 in legal costs, split equally between Ben-Gvir personally and his party. The decision rejected the argument that the video was intended for deterrence rather than campaigning. Sohlberg noted that Ben-Gvir used his authority over the Israel Prison Service to access a specific prisoner, uniformed guards, and their equipment for a campaign video — an advantage other candidates do not enjoy. Ben-Gvir called the decision 'extremely puzzling' and said terrorists should be treated harshly. The video must be removed immediately from all social-media accounts.