Likud MK Yoav Kish
Photo: Ohad Zwigenberg
New bill aims to stop V15
Following V15’s failed attempt to replace Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during the 2015 general elections, a new bill promoted by Likud MK Yoav Kish looks to prevent such organizations from influencing the political process without adhering to the same rules and financial limitations set upon political parties; the opposition has already voiced its criticism of the bill.
The Knesset’s Constitution, Law and Justice Committee debates a bill on Tuesday that aims to define any organization that spends over 100,000 shekels in an effort to influence the general elections as an active participant in the elections.
The bill, proposed by MK Yoav Kish (Likud) as well as other MKs, was specifically meant to target the V15 organization, whose stated goal was to replace then and current Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. While the attempt did fail, the organization was nevertheless accused of trying to bypass the Political Parties (Financing) Law, which caps the amount of money a political party can spend and receive in donations that goes toward the elections.
Likud MK Yoav Kish (Photo: Ohad Zwigenberg)
Referring to the Political Parties (Financing) Law, State Comptroller representative Mira Razin said, “The issue definitely needs some sorting out. The State Comptroller has been tasked with implementing this law, so it is important to word it in a way that allows us to do so.”
Kish himself defended the bill’s aim to protect a fair election process without trampling on individual rights. “This bill carefully moves without harming freedom of speech. We need to separate calling out for or against a certain party and doing the same for an idea. The bill will only take effect for the three months prior to the elections.” He added that under said bill, “An organization that will seek to identify a group of potential voters and decide to drive them and only them to the polls will be seen as having a partisan identity.”
Opposition members were vehemently opposed to the plan. “This bill has one goal—to keep the Likud in power,” said MK Michal Rozin (Meretz). “The government wishes to legislate what civilian bodies can and cannot say. It raises critical questions: the women’s lobby ‘Women Choose Women’ would be banned under it. The right-wing government has made narrowing an ideology of equality, peace and alternative policy, in addition to shutting up anyone voicing criticism, a major target of theirs.”
Meretz MK Michal Rozin (Photo: Gil Yohanan)
Zionist Union MK Yoel Hasson
MK Yoel Hasson (Zionist Union) also came out against the bill. “They’re trying to stop the Israeli public from voicing their opinions. There isn’t a more appropriate mechanism in a democratic country than calling on the public to go vote in order to change their leadership.”
