Sohlberg allows Ben-Gvir to attend police event despite election campaigning concerns

The event at hand is an appreciation event for Israel Police volunteers and members of police emergency squads. It is officially planned to mark 50 years of the police volunteer system. 

Central Elections Committee chairman and Supreme Court Deputy President Noam Sohlberg on Monday morning rejected a petition seeking to prevent National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir from attending and speaking at a police event over concerns that his participation would amount to prohibited election campaigning.

The event at hand is an appreciation event for Israel Police volunteers and members of police emergency squads. It is officially planned to mark 50 years of the police volunteer system.

Attorney-General Gali Baharav-Miara supported the petition's request to bar Ben-Gvir from the event, arguing that his participation, even without speaking, raised a serious concern that the police-funded event would effectively become election campaigning.

Because of the tight timetable, Sohlberg issued the decision without his full reasoning, which he said would be published separately as soon as possible.

The petition was filed by NGO Voting for Israel, and sought, primarily, to prevent the minister from speaking or participating in the evening. Alternatively, it asked Sohlberg to prevent the event from taking place altogether.

Sworn affidavit not to engage in campaigning during the event

Ben-Gvir committed in a sworn affidavit not to engage in election campaigning during the event, Sohlberg noted.

“It goes without saying that no one is permitted to engage in election campaigning - verbally, visually or in any other manner - at this event,” Sohlberg wrote.

Sohlberg also recommended that the speeches be provided to legal advisers for review ahead of the event, although he did not make that a condition of Ben-Gvir's participation.