Shin Bet Removes Likud Event Registration Page from Government Website
A Shin Bet official was deployed Wednesday night to remove a Likud election event registration page from a government website following a legal petition.
A Shin Bet security official was urgently deployed on Wednesday night to remove a Likud election event registration page hosted on a government website. The action followed a petition submitted to Central Election Committee Chairman Supreme Court Justice Noam Solberg by the "Economic Unit" association.
The controversy surrounds a Likud Rosh Hashanah toast event scheduled for Thursday evening featuring Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, his wife Sara, and several Likud ministers. The event was promoted a week ago in Likud activist groups with an invitation featuring the Likud logo, stating that the Prime Minister and his wife invite participants to the holiday toast, along with a link to a government domain under gov.il bearing both the Likud logo and the state emblem.
Legal Petition and Government Response
Two days ago, the "Economic Unit," represented by attorney Yuval Yoaz, filed the petition, triggering a legal drama that extended into the night and early morning hours. The association argued that election laws strictly prohibit the use of public body resources for political propaganda, making the use of a government website for party event organization and data collection a clear legal violation.
According to the petition, the government site collected personal details including names, phone numbers, and ID numbers, noting the data would be used for security streamlining and event preparation by Likud organizers. The Prime Minister's Office initially claimed the site was intended for security purposes, would be removed due to sensitivities, and that no data would be transferred to Likud.
"Shin Bet is entrusted by law with the security of the Prime Minister and carries out various actions to fulfill this responsibility," the agency stated.
Removal and Investigation
After discovering the site remained active despite assurances, the petitioners urgently notified Justice Solberg, who ordered the state to respond by 10:00 AM. The state later admitted the link was not immediately removed by professionals, prompting the midnight deployment of a Shin Bet security official. The registration page was successfully taken down by 1:45 AM, and a senior Shin Bet official signed an affidavit under the fictional name "Amit" confirming the details. Justice Solberg dismissed the petition as moot since the site was removed, without awarding costs.
