Chairman of the Central Elections Committee (CEC), Noam Sohlberg, has scheduled a hearing for October 6 regarding a petition from the Likud party that challenges the AID Coalition’s Fly&Vote initiative. This initiative is designed to assist Israelis residing abroad in making travel arrangements to participate in the upcoming election in Israel.
### Hearing Details and Responses Required
In a statement issued on Tuesday, Sohlberg mandated that involved parties provide further factual and legal details regarding the Fly&Vote initiative’s operations, the services it offers, and the nature of payments it collects. These additional responses are required by October 4 at 4 p.m. The upcoming hearing is set for October 6 at 1 p.m. in the Knesset.
The chairman requested that AID Coalition clarify inconsistencies between their petition response and the information available on their Fly&Vote website. Specifically, AID must specify each service listed, the order in which it is provided, and its current availability. Moreover, Sohlberg instructed the coalition to detail their concept of a “donation constituting an advance payment” mentioned in their petition response.
### Authority of the CEC Chairman
Additionally, Sohlberg has directed both Likud and AID Coalition to consider whether he possesses the authority to impose an injunction against any individual or organization operating outside of Israel. The attorney-general has been asked to provide her position on this issue as well.
### AID Coalition’s Mission and Offerings
The AID Coalition presents itself as a bipartisan, US-based organization aiming to bolster the “democratic foundations of the State of Israel.” Its website outlines various projects that support victims and communities affected by violence, as well as collaborations with anti-regime groups prior to the October 7 attack. The Fly&Vote initiative aims to facilitate participation of Israelis abroad in the October 27 elections. This program assists users in confirming their voting eligibility, resolving passport and documentation issues, and finding or booking flights back to Israel.
According to AID Coalition, participants are responsible for their own travel expenses. The organization emphasizes that it does not interrogate individuals regarding their voting intentions or condition assistance on any political stances.
### Likud’s Allegations
Earlier this month, the Likud party filed a petition against the CEC, which implicated not only AID Coalition but also other entities like the Israeli Base nonprofit and individuals tied to the Democrats party. The allegations focus on purported connections between AID Coalition and partisan political activities designed to undermine support for Likud. The petition claims that the services offered could fall under prohibited electoral benefits or constitutive bribery and may breach regulations surrounding campaign financing and election propaganda.
One aspect of concern highlighted in the petition involves a separate initiative by AID Coalition, known as Fly&AID, which offers participants a daily “service grant” for volunteer work in Israel, capped at three days.
In his ruling, Sohlberg instructed Likud to clarify if it still stands by its claims regarding the Fly&AID program following AID Coalition’s clarifications. He also inquired whether they would agree to remove other parties named in the original petition based on their responses.
### AID Coalition’s Defense
In response to the accusations from Likud, AID Coalition firmly denied the allegations, asserting that denying voting rights to Israeli citizens engaged in the defense of their country would be unfair. They argue that their objective is to enable participation in shaping the future of Israel, particularly for those who contribute significantly to its welfare and security.