Central Elections Committee Chairman Justice Noam Solberg has rejected petitions seeking to disqualify an election campaign video by Religious Zionism Chairman Bezalel Smotrich that depicts Supreme Court judges and the government's legal adviser being forcibly dragged away.
Addressing claims about the way the officials are portrayed, Solberg ruled that the use of a senior public servant's image is permitted when used to express political criticism. "It is doubtful whether they feel threatened by it," he wrote.
Solberg acknowledged that the video was personally difficult for him to watch. "Watching the video was not easy for me on a personal level, in light of the characters included in it, and its unpleasant taste," he wrote. "However, in the petitions before me I must consider the legal aspect, not the personal one. In the absence of grounds, the video will stand for the consideration of the voters, and not for the election court."
The video sparked an uproar and strong condemnation from politicians in the center-left bloc. Gadi Eisenkot sharply criticized the campaign and Smotrich personally, saying, "I strongly condemn the despicable and violent video that the conscription-avoidance apparatus and supporters of resistance posted by Bezalel Smotrich. He claims to represent the sons and daughters of Religious Zionism, but in practice he stains and harms the name of an entire sector."
Eisenkot also criticized the timing of the campaign, saying it was released during the Ten Days of Repentance ahead of Yom Kippur. "They learned nothing from the October 7th massacre. In their political distress, they are ready to drag Israeli society into the abyss again. Not allowed. For Israel and its future, we will send them home soon," he said.
Smotrich responded by challenging Eisenkot and other critics to present their own alternative proposals for judicial reform. "Gadi and my dear friends, I saw your reactions to the plan to reform the judicial system that I presented together with MK Rothman. I urge you: publish your legal plan as well. In recent years you said that you too agree that a reform of the judicial system is required, but not the one we are proposing. Come on, this is the time. This is what the elections are about. Publish your platform for repairing Israeli democracy. Not with slogans, but in a detailed and orderly manner like ours. And the public will decide."