Israeli Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu has been ordered to take down a campaign video from his social media accounts after Israel’s Central Elections Committee issued a temporary ruling following allegations that the video unlawfully featured minors.
The order, issued Thursday by Central Elections Committee Chairman Justice Noam Sohlberg, came in response to a petition claiming the video violated election laws governing the use of children in political campaign materials.
The footage, which Netanyahu posted earlier this week, documents his visit to Jerusalem’s Malha Mall, where he is seen greeting shoppers, speaking with members of the public, posing for photographs, and interacting with numerous children.
Following the video’s release, attorney and certified public accountant Yaron Meiri filed a petition with the Central Elections Committee, arguing that including minors in the campaign video violated legal restrictions prohibiting the use of children in election-related advertising.
Under Section 2C of Israel’s Elections Law governing campaign materials, children under the age of 15 are generally prohibited from participating in election campaigns unless their appearance is part of a routine activity. Along with his petition, Meiri requested an immediate temporary injunction requiring the video’s removal until the matter could be fully adjudicated.
Justice Sohlberg granted the request, ordering the video removed from all online platforms. He ruled that the video may be reposted only after all scenes showing personal interaction between Netanyahu and the children have been edited out.
The committee said proceedings on the petition will continue before a final ruling is issued, after receiving responses from both Prime Minister Netanyahu and the Likud Party.
