Knesset member Merav Michaeli has called on Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara to immediately freeze a major food voucher initiative backed by the Shas party, arguing that the program amounts to politically motivated election influence disguised as welfare assistance.

The urgent appeal follows reports by journalist Ari Kalman that Shas chairman Aryeh Deri recently received preliminary approval from the Budget Commissioner of Israel’s Finance Ministry to revive the half-billion-shekel project, with the vouchers expected to be distributed shortly before national elections.

In her letter, Michaeli warned that the timing of the initiative represents a serious threat to the integrity of the election process.

“If the plan moves forward, the vouchers will be handed out to citizens in the days leading up to the elections,” Michaeli wrote.

She further argued that “the distribution of direct financial benefits, politically identified and branded as the ‘flagship project’ of a specific party immediately before voters head to the polls, raises substantial suspicion that the program is being tailored to the chareidi sector, which serves as Shas’s electoral base, while discriminating against needy populations outside that community.”

Michaeli said immediate legal intervention is necessary and outlined three specific demands in her appeal to the attorney general.

First, she called for an immediate suspension of both the budget allocation and the voucher distribution until after the election season concludes.

Second, she demanded that any food assistance program be administered exclusively through the professional channels of Israel’s Welfare Ministry, without political branding and at a time that would not influence voters.

Her third request focused on the Finance Ministry’s apparent reversal on the issue. Michaeli called for a formal investigation into the circumstances behind the ministry’s change of position after officials reportedly blocked the initiative last year.

At the same time, Knesset member Merav Cohen joined the criticism, posting a sharp jab on X.

“Hey Siri, define election bribery.”

{Matzav.com}