MK Efrat Rayten has warned she will seek a High Court injunction if the Transportation Ministry imposes measures preventing Israelis from returning before the elections. Her letter, made public on X, follows a Haaretz report alleging the ministry planned restrictions to limit opposition votes. Separately, IAA director-general Sharon Kedmi warned that delays tied to the relocation of US Air Force refueling tankers could lead to mass cancellations at Ben-Gurion Airport, potentially affecting up to 50,000 tickets in July.
Opposition MK Vows High Court Challenge If Transportation Ministry Restricts Israelis' Return Before Elections
Passengers at Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv after it fully reopened following a ceasefire agreement between United States and Iran, April 9, 2026; Illustrative. (photo credit: CHAIM GOLDBERG/FLASH90)
MK Efrat Rayten (The Democrats) has warned that any measures by the Transportation Ministry that restrict Israeli citizens from returning home ahead of the national elections will be contested in the High Court of Justice.
The warning followed a Haaretz report alleging the Transportation Ministry planned such limits to reduce potential votes for opposition parties. Rayten published her letter to the Minister of Transportation on X (formerly Twitter) and shared it with senior officials at the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and the Airports Authority (IAA).
Letter and Legal Threat
In the letter, Rayten said the election process must not be 'torpedoed' and that citizens must not be prevented from voting. She added that any attempt to frame restrictions as mere operational necessities would face 'the strictest scrutiny' in court. The letter concluded with a stern admonition: 'Please take note, no further warning will be given.'
Operational Pressures At Ben-Gurion Airport
The Haaretz report appeared amid separate concerns about large-scale flight disruptions at Ben-Gurion Airport. IAA director-general Sharon Kedmi warned that a US decision delaying the relocation of US Air Force refueling tankers stationed at the airport has 'immediate and serious operational consequences.' Kedmi cautioned that as many as 50,000 flight tickets could be canceled over the course of July if the situation is not resolved.
MK Efrat Rayten attends the Special Committee for the Communications Law at the Knesset, the Israeli parliament in Jerusalem, during the war with Iran and Hezbollah, March 15, 2026. (credit: YONATAN SINDEL/FLASH90)
Transportation Ministry Director-General Moshe Ben Zaken urged the Defense Ministry to identify solutions to prevent harm to Israeli travelers. US Central Command (CENTCOM) later confirmed the delay to The Jerusalem Post.
Context: Transportation Minister Miri Regev is a member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party; Haaretz reported some ministry officials fear many incoming voters would favor opposition lists. Rayten pointed out that authorities should be prepared for surges in travel demand, citing previous management of flights to Uman as an example.
Photo caption: MK Efrat Rayten attends the Special Committee for the Communications Law at the Knesset in Jerusalem during the war with Iran and Hezbollah, March 15, 2026. (Credit: YONATAN SINDEL/FLASH90)
Report contributors: Shir Perets and James Genn.
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