In Israel, the editorial board of the Jerusalem Post called on the government to refrain from decisions that could be perceived as attempts to win voters’ votes through public spending ahead of the October 27 elections. At the same time, the publication stressed that the opposition should not call every government decision electioneering, as the work of state institutions and the funding of programs must continue.

Examples of budget decisions

The editorial notes that bills and budget allocations in the final 30 days before the elections require particularly careful scrutiny by the opposition, the media, and the public. In the publication’s view, routine government decisions should be distinguished from financial incentives aimed at strengthening electoral support.

As an example of a decision that is difficult to regard as pre-election campaigning, the editorial cited a 35 million shekel pilot program announced last week by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich. It provides compensation to uninsured businesses for direct property damage resulting from demands for “protection” money. According to the publication, the program is intended to help businesses maintain operational continuity and encourage cooperation with law enforcement agencies.

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At the same time, the Jerusalem Post mentioned a funding package of approximately 2.4 billion shekels for areas and access roads in Israeli settlements in the West Bank, announced by Smotrich in the summer. The editorial suggested that this decision could be seen as an attempt to strengthen his electoral base.

Postponement of the E1 tender

Israel’s Attorney General’s Office on Sunday ordered a one-month postponement of the deadline for submitting bids in a tender for the construction of 1,200 housing units as part of the controversial E1 expansion near Maale Adumim. The reason cited was concern that the project could be used in the election campaign. The postponement moves the deadline to a time after the elections.

Maale Adumim Mayor Guy Yifrah said that the decision to advance the tender had been made several months before the elections and that the procedure had since proceeded professionally. He also called the halt to the process an intervention with political consequences. The Jerusalem Post editorial urged the government to abandon “election economics” and the opposition not to attribute electoral motives to every government decision.

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