Justice Noam Sohlberg met Attorney-General Gali Baharav-Miara to coordinate preparations and stress the need to protect electoral integrity ahead of the October 27 elections. Both officials agreed close cooperation with law enforcement and other state institutions is essential to maintain public trust and to prevent improper influence. The meeting came after security warnings about hostile attempts to undermine the vote and drew sharp criticism from National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who demanded the attorney-general be excluded from election matters.
Top Election Officials Unite to Defend Vote Integrity Ahead of October 27 Election
Central Elections Committee Chairman Justice Noam Sohlberg meets with Attorney-General Gali Baharav-Miara on Sunday, August 2, 2026. (photo credit: Central Elections Committee Spokesperson
Justice Noam Sohlberg, chairman of Israel's Central Elections Committee and deputy president of the Supreme Court, met with Attorney-General Gali Baharav-Miara on Sunday to coordinate preparations for the nationwide elections scheduled for October 27. The meeting focused on measures to safeguard electoral integrity and preserve public confidence in the voting process.
Cooperation and Preparedness
Sohlberg said the meeting was one in a series of working sessions by the committee's leadership to ensure the proper conduct of the elections. He stressed that the committee has been "preparing for all the challenges involved in conducting the elections, in close cooperation with all state authorities," and emphasized the importance of robust law-enforcement responses to violations of election law.
"Election integrity is not merely a legal principle; it is a fundamental prerequisite for public trust in democracy," Sohlberg said.
The Central Elections Committee and the Attorney-General's Office agreed that safeguarding the vote requires close coordination among the committee, law-enforcement agencies and other state institutions. Both sides said that a determined, effective enforcement effort is essential to protect each citizen's right to vote and to stand for election.
Israeli attorney general Gali Baharav Miara attends a House committee meeting at the Knesset, the Israeli Parliament in Jerusalem on, June 9, 2026. (credit: YONATAN SINDEL/FLASH90)
Attorney-General's Position
Baharav-Miara described election integrity as "one of the cornerstones of Israeli democracy" and pledged full cooperation between the Attorney-General's Office and law-enforcement bodies to keep the electoral process free from improper influence. She expressed confidence in the professionalism and dedication of the Central Elections Committee staff and said that joint efforts would help ensure voters can cast their ballots with confidence and security.
Security Concerns and Political Reaction
The meeting followed a recent conversation in which President Isaac Herzog met with Sohlberg and Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) head David Zini to warn of potential attempts by hostile actors at home and abroad to undermine the election. The committee reiterated its focus on safeguarding election integrity and maintaining public trust as the country prepares for the vote.
National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir sharply criticized the Attorney-General after the meeting, accusing her of undermining the electoral process and calling for her removal from involvement in election matters. Ben-Gvir has repeatedly clashed with Baharav-Miara amid broader tensions between the government and the judiciary.
"Wherever the criminal attorney-general and case fabricator lays her hands, it will amount to deliberate sabotage of the integrity of the elections and public trust. I call on Justice Sohlberg to remove her from any involvement in the elections," Ben-Gvir said.
The Central Elections Committee said it will continue working with all relevant state bodies to prepare for the October 27 vote. Sarah-Ben Nun contributed to this report.
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