From the Liveblog of
Sunday, August 2, 2026
Elections committee chair stresses importance of ‘election integrity’ in meeting with legal officials
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleSam Sokol is a former political correspondent at The Times of Israel. He was previously a reporter for the Jerusalem Post, Jewish Telegraphic Agency and Haaretz. He is the author of "Putin’s Hybrid War and the Jews"
The conservative Deputy Supreme Court President Noam Sohlberg, who chairs the Central Elections Committee, emphasizes the importance of “election integrity” during a pre-election meeting with Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara and other government legal officials, insisting that law enforcement agencies’ commitment to enforcing election laws is critical in protecting Israeli democracy.
“The integrity of the elections is not just a legal principle; it is a fundamental condition for the public’s trust in democracy. The Central Elections Committee is preparing for all the challenges involved in holding the elections, in close cooperation with all state authorities,” Sohlberg says in a statement.
“The commitment of law enforcement agencies to resolute and effective enforcement of election laws is a central element in ensuring a proper election process, and in protecting the right of every citizen to vote and be elected,” he adds.
Sohlberg’s comments come less than a month after Shin Bet chief David Zini stated that his agency was subordinate to the Central Elections Committee when it comes to the upcoming national vote, in the wake of a controversy in which he said he was loyal to the country’s “elected leadership.”
In a statement, the Central Election Committee says that Sohlberg and his team met with Baharav-Miara, State Attorney Amit Aisman, and the Justice Ministry’s election team and “all bodies responsible for managing Election Day and enforcing the law, with the goal of ensuring the proper process, election integrity, public trust, and the realization of every citizen’s right to vote.”
“During the meeting, the parties discussed the commitment of all law enforcement authorities to maintaining election integrity and ensuring a proper, free, and fair election process. Within this framework, ways to increase enforcement against criminal offenses related to election laws were discussed,” the statement says, adding that “election integrity is a supreme national effort requiring close cooperation among the Central Election Committee, the law enforcement system, and all state authorities to ensure the proper conduct of the election process and public trust in it.”
“Safeguarding election integrity is one of the cornerstones of Israeli democracy. All law enforcement bodies will act in full cooperation with the Central Elections Committee to ensure a proper, equal election process free from improper influences,” says Baharav-Miara, offering her “full support to the employees of the Elections Committee” while emphasizing their “professionalism and dedication.”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party has repeatedly criticized the election watchdog ahead of the upcoming election, which is scheduled for October 27.
Following the meeting, National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir calls on Sohlberg to prevent Baharav-Miara’s participation in election-related matters.
“Wherever the hand of the criminal, case-fabricating attorney general touches, it will be intentional sabotage of the purity of the elections and public trust. I call on Justice Sohlberg to remove her from any involvement in the elections,” Ben Gvir posts on X.
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