Central Elections Committee Chairman Justice Noam Sohlberg met with Attorney-General Gali Baharav-Miara on Sunday, ahead of the elections set for October 27. They stressed the importance of safeguarding the integrity of the electoral process.
“Election integrity is not merely a legal principle; it is a fundamental prerequisite for public trust in democracy,” Sohlberg said.
Sohlberg, who also serves as deputy president of the Supreme Court, also said that the Central Elections Committee has been “preparing for all the challenges involved in conducting the elections, in close cooperation with all state authorities.”
“The commitment of law enforcement agencies to determined and effective enforcement of election laws is a key component in ensuring a proper electoral process and protecting every citizen’s right to vote and to stand for election,” he added.
The committee stated that the meeting was held as part of a series of working sessions conducted by the leadership of the committee to “ensure the integrity of the electoral process, safeguarding election integrity, maintaining public confidence, and guaranteeing every citizen’s right to vote.”
The committee also noted that the meeting between the judge and the A-G concluded with an agreement that “safeguarding the integrity of the elections is a paramount national effort requiring close cooperation between the Central Elections Committee, law enforcement authorities, and all state institutions in order to ensure the proper conduct of the electoral process and maintain public confidence in it.”
Baharav-Miara also stressed the importance of maintaining election integrity, adding that it “is one of the cornerstones of Israeli democracy.”
A-G: Law enforcement will cooperate with Central Elections Committee on election integrity
“All law enforcement authorities will work in full cooperation with the Central Elections Committee to ensure that the electoral process is conducted properly, fairly, and free from improper influence,” she said.
“I have full confidence in the employees of the Central Elections Committee, their professionalism, and their dedication, and I am certain that by joining forces we will ensure that every citizen can exercise the right to vote with confidence and security,” Baharav-Miara added after the meeting.
The meeting comes after President Isaac Herzog met last month with Sohlberg and Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) head David Zini, warning that hostile actors in Israel and abroad were seeking to undermine the election.
Ben-Gvir criticizes A-G, says she should be removed from election responsibilities
National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir sharply criticized the attorney-general following the meeting, calling her a “criminal” and urging that she be removed from any involvement in election matters.
Ben-Gvir has repeatedly clashed with Baharav-Miara amid the government’s ongoing dispute with her and the judiciary.
“Wherever the criminal attorney-general and case fabricator lays her hands, it will amount to deliberate sabotage of the integrity of the elections and public trust. I call on Justice Sohlberg to remove her from any involvement in the elections,” Ben-Gvir said.
Sarah-Ben Nun contributed to this report.