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Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit is expected to bar politicians from posting joint photos with Israel Defense Forces soldiers on their social media outlets in order to promote their election campaign.
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Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who also serves as the defense minister, as well as members of his ruling Likud Party and members of other parties will not be allowed to use photos with IDF troops on their private Facebook and Twitter pages. They will also not be allowed to appear with the troops on billboards, however, the attorney general is expected to allow posting photo ops on official social media platforms.
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Netanyahu meets with soldiers from the 51st Battalion on the Gaza border (Photo: Amos Ben-Gershom, GPO)
(צילום: עמוס בן גרשום)
Mandelblit has been reviewing the issue after the Labor Party filed a petition to the Central Elections Committee Chairman, High Court of Justice Deputy Chief Hanan Melcer, calling on him to prevent further posts involving soldiers on politicians' private social media accounts.
In its appeal, Labor said that using the army to promote election campaign propaganda is prohibited according to the Knesset Elections Law. "Election propaganda will not be used in the IDF as to create the impression that the army is affiliated with a party or a list of candidates," the law says.
Following Labor's petition, Military Advocate General Major General Sharon Afek began formulating an orderly procedure to apply to the prime minister and additional politicians visiting military units, Yedioth Ahronoth published earlier.
Senior IDF officials said that the procedure is being formulated due to the vast amount of politicians who visit IDF bases during the election season, rather than because of Netanyahu, who as defense minister is allowed to visit army camps.
Likud representatives said in response that "The nature of the photos is informative and serves the public's right to know."