Israeli Election Committee overrules AG, lets Ben-Gvir attend police confab

Israel's Central Elections Committee chairman on Monday approved National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir's participation in a police volunteers conference, overruling Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara's position that he should not attend the event during the election campaign. The chairman, Supreme Court Deputy President Noam Sohlberg, announced on Monday that he was rejecting out of hand the petitions against Ben-Gvir's participation, because Ben-Gvir pledged "not to deliver electioneering remarks at the event." Sohlberg explained that he preferred to reach a quick decision because the conference was scheduled to take place Monday evening. He advised Ben-Gvir to submit his remarks in advance for legal counsel's review. Law enforcement sources told Haaretz on Sunday that Ben-Gvir and his ministry timed the conference to coincide with the election campaign. They added that Ben-Gvir planned to speak about his work before an audience of thousands, effectively engaging in illegal, police-funded electioneering. The petitions against Ben-Gvir's participation at the conference were filed by the Voters for Israel organization and the Zulat Institute. Close Attorney General Baharav-Miara in the Knesset in June. Credit: Itay Cohen Attorney General Baharav-Miara in the Knesset in June. Credit: Itay Cohen Initially, the National Security Ministry planned to fund the conference, but due to legal issues, the police took over funding several weeks ago. The conference was set to take place in 2025, a year after the police volunteer program marked 50 years since its founding. In recent days, volunteers in the organization said that their commanders exerted heavy pressure on them to participate in the conference, where singers Moshe Peretz and Ivri Lider are expected to perform. However, due to low ticket purchases by volunteers, the police opened sales to rank-and-file police officers, as well as to relatives and friends of the volunteers. The state stated in a filing submitted on Sunday that the tender for producing the event concluded only 10 days earlier. This statement contradicts Ben-Gvir's claim that the event's date was set before an election date was determined. Related Articles Israel's top court turns a blind eye as Ben-Gvir runs the police like a mob boss Haaretz Editorial AG says Ben-Gvir uses police for political campaign, far-right propaganda Bar Peleg Israel's AG urges High Court action over Ben-Gvir's police interference Josh Breiner "According to the state's position, Ben-Gvir's participation in the event, including of course delivering remarks, is prohibited," the petitioners argued. "It raises serious concern that it would in practice constitute illegal electioneering and could even color the entire event with electioneering tones. His participation in the event amounts to the use of public resources for electioneering, contrary to the law."