Deputy Supreme Court chief reportedly says ‘limited’ delay of elections could be justified in case of emergency

Deputy Supreme Court Chief Justice Noam Sohlberg, who heads the Central Election Committee, told a conference held at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem that a “limited postponement” of the elections could be justified in case of an emergency that would prevent a free and fair vote, according to the Ynet news site.

The report says Sohlberg stressed to the crowd that such a delay could not be used “as a tool by the government to extend its tenure,” adding that postponing an election should only be considered as a “last resort.”

He also reportedly called for the Central Elections Committee to be ready for anything, “so we aren’t thrust into a situation in which we must consider delaying the elections.”

A separate report by the Israel Hayom daily on Sohlberg’s remarks says the senior judge declared “only a fool would see we aren’t in a crisis,” citing the security situation, social divisions, “blurring borders between what is acceptable and not,” foreign influence efforts and artificial intelligence.