V5 Jerusalem headquarters
V5 Jerusalem headquartersMiriam Alster/Flash 90

The Chairman of the Central Elections Committee, Judge Salim Joubran rejected Sunday a petition filed by the Likud party against the organization Victory 2015 (V15). 

Joubran also ruled that Likud must field the expenses of NIS 8,000 ($2,000) for each defendant - Meretz, the Zionist Camp, Hatnua, V15, and the One Voice organization - named in the petition. 

"This petition which began with a loud outcry is ending with a weak whimper. The conduct of the petitioner raises the question of if there was even a reason to file the petition in the first place," Joubran wrote in his decision. 

At a press conference several weeks ago, Likud MKs presented what they said was evidence that V15 is working with non-Israeli interests to swing the election toward Zionist Camp chairpersons Yitzhak Herzog and Tzipi Livni.

According to Likud MKs who spoke at the press conference, the project is headed by several former Obama campaign managers aimed at unseating Likud and installing a left-wing government in its place.

However, on Thursday, Likud announced that it was withdrawing a petition to the Jerusalem District Court against the organization, after failing to find a "smoking gun" linking V15 to the Zionist Camp or another leftist party.

V15, for its part, has consistently denied it has any connection to a specific political party, despite acknowledging its desire to bring about a change in government. 

In response to Joubran's ruling, V15 stated that "it has been conclusively shown that the Prime Minister and Likud engage exclusively in manufacturing spins in order to divert the public from fundamental issues such as the economy, social issues, and security - for which they have no answers or solutions." 

"The fact that the Netanyahu family and the Likud movement rely on the law firm of Shimron-Molho to handle the most sensitive issues of the state should disturb the sleep of any Israeli who cares about the good of the country," the V15 movement added.