Attorney general tells PM to stop taking campaign photos with soldiers

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (C) visiting a weapons depot at the Sirkin IDF base

Times of Israel reports, “Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit issued on Thursday a legal opinion that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who also serves as defense minister, cannot release photographs of himself meeting IDF soldiers for the duration of the election campaign and on election day, April 9. Campaign advertising rules forbid using uniformed soldiers in campaign materials and it is illegal to campaign on IDF bases.”

“The attorney general issued the statement in response to a Labor Party petition filed against Netanyahu.  The attorney general’s opinion applies to all candidates, but affects Netanyahu’s campaign materials most significantly. Netanyahu’s office had been releasing photographs of him visiting IDF units several times a week since the Knesset voted to head to elections in December.” (more…)