Court ruling8/13/2026

Elections Committee Temporarily Orders Removal of Netanyahu Campaign Video

The chairman of the Central Elections Committee, Justice Noam Sohlberg, temporarily ordered the removal from social media of a video featuring Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and children. The order followed a petition concerning a possible violation of the ban on the participation of children under age 15 in election campaigning.

Key facts

•Body: Central Elections Committee
•The order was issued by Justice Noam Sohlberg
•Petitioner: Attorney and certified public accountant Yaron Meiri
•Measure: Temporary removal of the video from social media
•Basis: Section 2C of the Elections (Modes of Propaganda) Law
•The final outcome is not stated in the source

What Happened

Netanyahu posted on his accounts a video about a visit to the Malha Mall in Jerusalem. The footage shows him meeting visitors, talking with them and posing for photographs; many children were among the participants.

Who Petitioned the Elections Committee

Attorney and certified public accountant Yaron Meiri filed a petition with the chairman of the Central Elections Committee against the publication of the video. He argued that the video violates the ban on involving children in election campaigning and requested its removal pending resolution of the case.

What Sohlberg Decided

Justice Noam Sohlberg issued a temporary order requiring the video to be removed from all social media accounts. However, the video may be reposted if the segments showing children interacting personally with Netanyahu are deleted.

The Legal Basis and Continuation of the Proceedings

Section 2C of the Elections (Modes of Propaganda) Law prohibits the use of children under age 15 in election campaigning, except when they are engaged in routine, everyday activity. The decision is not yet final: consideration of the petition will continue after the positions of the prime minister and the Likud party are received.

What this means for you

Political posts featuring children may be temporarily removed even before a final decision is issued if a question is raised regarding a violation of campaign rules. The mere presence of a child in an image is assessed according to the context, including the exception concerning routine, everyday activity. In this case, the legality of the video has not yet been finally determined.

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