Knesset approves bill prohibiting poll publication 4 days before primaries

The Knesset approved in its second and third readings on Wednesday a bill that prohibits publication of public opinion polls in the four days leading up to party primaries. Knesset Law Committee chairman Menahem Ben-Sasson (Kadima) said of the bill: "It is impossible to completely control the flow of information before elections, but it is important to try and allow the public to form a final opinion in the days before elections without public opinion polls swaying [the vote]." The bill was proposed by MKs Ophir Paz-Pines (Labor), Tzahi Hanegbi (Kadima), Gideon Sa'ar and Yuli Edelstein (Likud).