Global Ganja Report

Israel's election results are in, and some 8,500 absentee ballots—mostly cast by Israeli Defense Forces soldiers—went to the Ale Yarok (Green Leaf) party, famous for its pro-legalization platform. The party failed to cross the 2% threshold for gaining a Knesset seat, receiving only 1.15% of the popular vote with 43,725 votes. However, if the Knesset was formed solely by absentee votes (known in Israel as double envelope votes), the party would have received four to five seats.

Ale Yarok's popularity among soldiers reached such levels that on Election Day complaints reached the IDF's election headquarters that the party's ballot notes had run out in several military polling stations and were nowhere to be found.

One of the party platform's main planks is aimed at military conscripts, calling for "shortening IDF service, releasing redundant soldiers and paying those who serve fairly." (YNet, Jan. 24)

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