Solberg Rules Netanyahu Reserve Housing Campaign Illegal Propaganda
Central Election Committee head Noam Solberg ruled that housing benefit posts for reservists by Netanyahu and ministers constituted illegal election propaganda.
The Central Election Committee chairman, Supreme Court Deputy President Noam Solberg, ruled that campaign materials published by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, and Construction and Housing Minister Haim Katz regarding a housing benefits program for reservists constituted illegal election propaganda using public resources.
The case centered on the "From Reserves to a Key" program, which promised some 20,000 housing and land opportunities for reservists. Solberg upheld petitions filed by attorney Yaron Meiri and the Israeli Democracy Guard movement, ordering the removal of promotional videos and posts from the officials' social media accounts.
Misleading Claims and Public Resources
In his ruling, Solberg criticized the wide gap between the grandiose August 9 press conference and the reality of the program, which had not yet been formally approved. "The essence does not reflect reliable and practical information, but rather an idea conceived that has not yet materialized," Solberg wrote. He added that presenting the plan as a finished product served an election propaganda purpose.
The Prime Minister's Office and the Attorney General's office supported the petitioners' stance, admitting the program lacked proper legal consultation and approval, making the online posts misleading. Furthermore, the publication improperly used Government Press Office (GPO) documentation and state symbols.
Security Statements and Personal Accountability
In a separate ruling addressing a government meeting speech, Solberg found that Netanyahu blended legitimate security updates with campaign rhetoric tying military successes to his continued tenure, using official GPO footage without authorization. Solberg stated that keeping the video online is conditional on paying for GPO materials and stripping the promotional elements.
Concluding his decision, Solberg urged Knesset members to update outdated election propaganda laws to address modern internet realities rather than complaining about court rulings. This followed another recent ruling where Solberg ordered Netanyahu to pay 29,000 shekels in personal expenses for politically exploiting a visit to an IDF outpost in southern Lebanon.
