Israel's Central Election Committee ruled Monday that surveillance cameras would be banned from all polling stations across the country in the upcoming general election.
Committee Chairman Supreme Court Justice Hanan Melcer barred Israeli political parties from setting up monitoring systems on September 17, ordering instead the installation of an oversight monitoring unit to ensure compliance.
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Melcer's decision is in line with Attorney General Avichai Mendelblit's position on the issue, formalized in a legal opinion that suggests such a move could only be legal through legislation.
The committee's decision put the kibosh on a plan by the ruling Likud party to place cameras at polling stations in Arab communities during the elections.
During April's vote, Likud deployed activists with cameras at polls in Arab communities. The party said it was combatting voter fraud, but critics said the point was to intimidate and deter minority voters.
Melcer said in a statement Monday that inspectors at polling stations would ensure adherence to the filming ban, saying the committee would do everything it could to stop "those who seek to sway the results in their favor outside the democratic rules."
Still, the decision is not necessarily binding and will likely be appealed before the Supreme Court, which will issue the final word.
Adalah, The Legal Center for Arab Minority Rights in Israel, praised the ban, claiming it proved that the Likud's intent was to deter Arab voters from participating in the election.
"The placement of cameras was likewise a violation of the constitutional right to vote freely and with privacy. Supreme Court Justice Hanan Melcer also indicates that Likud's camera operation in the last election – conducted without any legal basis – was an illegal disruption of the election day process, one which culminated in a criminal offense," the group added.
