Sohlberg rejects petitions against Netanyahu's video at Air Force base: "The dominant purpose is security"

Central Elections Committee Chairman Justice Noam Sohlberg rejected petitions against a video of Prime Minister Netanyahu at an Air Force base, ruling that the dominant purpose is security, not election propaganda. However, he issued a warning about continued publication of such videos. The petitioners were ordered to pay costs.

Central Elections Committee Chairman Justice Noam Sohlberg rejected petitions against a video of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu filmed at an Air Force base, ruling that the dominant purpose of the publication is security, not election propaganda. However, he issued a warning about continued publication of such videos. In his decision, Sohlberg noted that there is no dispute over the use of public assets (the military facility and fighter jet), but the central question is what the dominant purpose of the publication is. He ruled that the use of singular language ('I am', 'I spoke', 'I was impressed') does not indicate a propaganda purpose, but rather a factual description. Regarding the attribution of political and security achievements, he determined that there is a propaganda aspect, but it is secondary to their attribution to the IDF and the pilots. Sohlberg also addressed the publication on Netanyahu's private accounts, ruling that this tilts the scales toward propaganda, but it is not sufficient given the content of the publication. The petitioners were ordered to pay costs of 4,500 NIS.

Sohlberg rejects petitions against Netanyahu's video at Air Force base: "The dominant purpose is security"