Likud MK criticizes Central Elections Committee in Knesset, while sitting next to CEC chief

Likud MK Boaz Bismuth earlier today launched an attack on the Central Election Committee while sitting next to the committee’s chairman.

Bismuth organized a public portion of a normally classified meeting of the Knesset Subcommittee for Intelligence and Secret Services, inviting camera teams.

“The puzzling series of appointments made at the Central Elections Committee raises questions and necessitates explanations,” Bismuth said, referring to appointments that irked right-wingers over alleged political biases or direct connections to opposition figures.

Sitting next to Bismuth was Central Election Committee Chair Noam Sohlberg, who is also the deputy Supreme Court president, and who replied that he was “a little surprised by the remarks.”

“The appointments made at the committee have each been perfectly professional,” he said. “We are aware of certain reports, concerning reports; we are checking ourselves. All the recent appointments to key positions have been continuously proving themselves in the committee’s work, excellent people one by one.”

Bismuth answered: “I’m surprised you are surprised. During the discussion, we will go over a series of appointments, and you will see the remarks weren’t made for no reason. Everything is backed up and documented.”

The left-wing Haaretz daily claims that the document he referred to is actually a list of questions written by Bismuth himself.

Bismuth added during the meeting, dedicated to threats to the election integrity: “We won’t enable harm to the voters’ will, neither external nor internal. Not via Iranian bots, not via millions funneled by foreign funds and organizations, and not via a bureaucrat who seeks to put their judgment above the voters’ choice.”

The latter part was a reference to the government’s judicial overhaul agenda, seeking to curb the powers of what many right-wingers view as an overreaching judiciary but which others view as vital democratic checks and balances.

Bismuth also warned of a potential targeting by Iran, Russia, and others of public officials, chiefly Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and government ministers: “The writing is on the wall.”