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Election panel orders Netanyahu to remove campaign videos using public resources

Election panel orders Netanyahu to remove campaign videos using public resources

Rule Changes

Central Elections Committee chair Noam Sohlberg imposed NIS 31,500 in costs over campaign videos; the October 27 election ended in a projected stalemate.

October 28th, 2026: Exit polls show stalemate; Netanyahu and Eisenkot vow to form coalition

Overview

Updated Oct 30

Israel's Central Elections Committee chair, Justice Noam Sohlberg, ruled on October 4 that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu used state resources for election propaganda. He granted two of six petitions fully, three partly, and rejected one, ordering content removed from official and personal accounts. A second ruling on October 6 ordered Netanyahu to delete a Tel Nof Air Base video from his personal accounts and pay NIS 2,500, on top of NIS 29,000 already imposed.

Israel held its Knesset election on October 27. Exit polls reported by The Times of Israel predicted a stalemate, with neither Netanyahu nor Gadi Eisenkot able to form a coalition without breaking campaign promises. Both said they would try. The campaign-material rulings remain in force as coalition talks begin.

Why it matters

Israeli prime ministers face a clear legal boundary on using state platforms and military appearances for election messaging, now enforced with repeated fines.

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Key Indicators

6
Petitions filed against Netanyahu over public-resource use
Two fully granted, three partly granted, one rejected by the Central Elections Committee.
2
Separate rulings against Netanyahu
The October 4 ruling on six petitions and the October 6 Tel Nof Air Base ruling.
NIS 31,500
Costs imposed on Netanyahu
Combined NIS 29,000 from the October 4 ruling and NIS 2,500 from the October 6 Tel Nof Air Base ruling, both to be paid personally.
2026-10-27
Election day
Israel held its Knesset election; exit polls predicted no bloc could form a coalition without breaking campaign promises.

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People Involved

Noam Sohlberg
Noam Sohlberg
Chair of Israel's Central Elections Committee; Justice on the Supreme Court
Issued two rulings against Netanyahu over election propaganda; urged Knesset to modernize campaign law
 Benjamin Netanyahu
Benjamin Netanyahu
Prime Minister of Israel
Ordered to remove campaign videos from personal accounts in two rulings; total NIS 31,500 in combined costs. Vowed to form the next coalition after exit polls showed a stalemate.

Organizations Involved

Central Elections Committee
Central Elections Committee
Election authority
Adjudicated petitions and issued two removal orders against Netanyahu

The statutory body that enforces election law in Israel, including rules against using public resources for campaign propaganda.

Timeline

June 2026 October 2026

11 events Latest: October 28th, 2026 · 2 weeks ago Showing 8 of 11
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  1. Exit polls show stalemate; Netanyahu and Eisenkot vow to form coalition

    Latest Election

    Exit polls predicted neither bloc had a majority without breaking campaign promises. Netanyahu and Eisenkot each said they would try to assemble a government.

  2. Israel holds Knesset election

    Election

    Voters cast ballots in the Knesset election. Exit polls later predicted a stalemate between the blocs.

  3. Sohlberg orders Tel Nof Air Base video removed

    Ruling

    Sohlberg orders the video removed from Netanyahu's personal accounts, while allowing it to remain on official Prime Minister's Office accounts, and imposes NIS 2,500 in costs. In the clip, Netanyahu warns of possible attacks before the election.

  4. Sohlberg urges Knesset to modernize election propaganda laws

    Statement

    Sohlberg calls on lawmakers to update campaign advertising rules for the digital era, while saying the ban on public-resource use remains binding.

  5. Central Elections Committee rules against Netanyahu

    Ruling

    Sohlberg grants two petitions fully, three partly, rejects one; orders content removal and imposes NIS 29,000 in personal costs on Netanyahu.

  6. Ben-Gvir ordered to remove prison video

    Ruling

    Sohlberg rules that a video of Ben-Gvir visiting Hamas prisoner Hassan Salamah, flanked by armed guards, is election propaganda and orders it removed. Ben-Gvir and Otzma Yehudit must pay NIS 20,000 in costs.

  7. Netanyahu speaks at officer graduation ceremony

    Event

    Graduation speech at Bahad 1 partially barred; segments of personal boasts must be removed or the whole recording taken down.

  8. Netanyahu visits southern Lebanon IDF outpost

    Event

    Morale visit filmed by Government Press Office; full official video permitted but edited version on personal accounts barred as propaganda.

  9. Netanyahu addresses IDF senior command forum

    Event

    Speech describing how he rejected Hamas demands and claimed credit for hostage returns and Iran-axis strikes; petition fully granted, content ordered removed.

  10. Netanyahu speaks at Bible Route event

    Event

    Speech on the 'Derech HaTanakh' (Bible Route) highway naming; petition over this speech rejected by Sohlberg, who found legitimate public-information purpose.

  11. Netanyahu gives post-Iran press conference

    Statement

    Netanyahu describes Iran nuclear prevention as 'my life's mission' in a press briefing following the conflict; footage later found to be campaign propaganda.

Scenarios

1

Petitioners seek enforcement, ruling stands through election

Deadline passed (Oct 27, 2026)

Discussed by: The State of Israel, Times of Israel

Netanyahu complies with the removal orders, the videos come down, and the ruling sets the precedent for enforcement through the election. Watchdog groups use the decision to file further petitions against similar content. The election was held on October 27; this path requires no further legal action.

2

Netanyahu mounts Supreme Court appeal

Possible Resolves by Nov 15, 2026

Discussed by: Walla, Channel 14

Netanyahu petitions the Supreme Court to overturn Sohlberg's decision, arguing the speeches had legitimate official purposes and that the line drawn is overbroad. The Court would need to rule quickly for the appeal to have practical effect; the election was held on October 27. Israeli election law allows appeals of Central Elections Committee rulings in certain circumstances.

3

New petitions follow, pattern extends through campaign

Possible Resolves by Dec 1, 2026

Discussed by: News1, Ynet

The watchdog groups that filed the successful petitions — including Bocheirim B'Yisrael (Choosing in Israel) and Guarding Israeli Democracy — use the decision as a template for new filings. Netanyahu's campaign appearances faced the same scrutiny, and Sohlberg's line about state resources became the working test.

Historical Context

2 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.

2019-2021

Israel Election Propaganda Law disputes (2019-2021 election cycles)

During Israel's four election cycles between 2019 and 2021, multiple petitions alleged that Netanyahu used official state ceremonies and press conferences for campaign purposes. The Central Elections Committee repeatedly examined whether live-streamed official events doubled as propaganda.

Then

Several rulings ordered content removed or condemned the mixing of state and campaign functions, though enforcement was limited during rapid-fire election cycles.

Now

The committee built a body of precedent distinguishing official state communication from campaign messaging, which the October 2026 ruling now extends.

Why this matters now

This history explains why the petitioning groups knew exactly which statutes to invoke and establishes that Sohlberg's decision follows a documented line of practice rather than breaking new legal ground.

2007

Likud primary campaign videos (2007)

During internal Likud primaries, Netanyahu's campaign distributed video footage shot at official state events. The Attorney General's Office ruled that using state-funded footage for internal party campaigning was improper, though sanctions were limited.

Then

The recordings were pulled from campaign use and the episode became a reference point for later complaints about official footage in campaigns.

Now

It established that even internal party primaries are covered by public-resource restrictions, foreshadowing the harder line seen in the 2026 ruling.

Why this matters now

Shows the issue is a recurring one for Netanyahu personally, spanning his entire leadership career, and that state-funding limits apply even to internal party contests.

Sources

(16)
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The State of Israel Haaretz Times of Israel Ynet News1 Channel 14 i24NEWS Walla News Middle East Eye Kenya Insights The Jerusalem Post Israel News Anadolu Agency IsraelFM Haaretz The Times of Israel