Israel Election Chief Asks Shin Bet to Probe Foreign Interference Claims
Translated & summarized from Davar by baba
The Chairman of the Central Elections Committee, Judge Noam Sohlberg, has asked the Shin Bet to investigate suspicions of foreign entities attempting to influence elections through illicit funding. Sohlberg stressed the need to ensure the integrity of the democratic process and public trust. Political figures like Avigdor Lieberman and Bezalel Smotrich have reacted, with Smotrich calling for specific parties to be investigated.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Election Committee Chairman Sohlberg asked Shin Bet head Zini to investigate foreign election interference.
- Sohlberg cited suspicions of improper influence through foreign funding against Israeli interests.
- The investigation aims to ensure public trust and the integrity of the democratic electoral process.
- Avigdor Lieberman called the letter a dramatic and unprecedented event.
- Bezalel Smotrich urged an immediate Shin Bet probe into Arab party leaders regarding foreign funding.
The Chairman of the Central Elections Committee, Judge Noam Sohlberg, has formally requested the head of the Shin Bet security agency, David Zini, to launch an investigation into serious suspicions of foreign interference aimed at undermining the integrity of elections. Sohlberg instructed Zini to "do everything in your power to investigate the matters of the aforementioned suspicions and to use the powers of the General Security Service to locate evidence to substantiate the aforementioned suspicions or to refute them." He emphasized that this is crucial for ensuring public trust in the electoral process and the purity of the democratic system.
In his letter to Zini, Sohlberg detailed that he had been presented with "serious suspicions of improper influence through foreign funding by external elements acting against the Israeli interest, on the elections." While unable to attest to the nature of these suspicions, Sohlberg stated that due to their connection to external actors, there is a "duty to investigate them properly" to safeguard the Knesset elections and prevent illegal activities that could harm the democratic regime and involve subversion.
Avigdor Lieberman, chairman of the Yisrael Beiteinu party, called the letter a "dramatic and unprecedented event" and urged law enforcement to act swiftly to uncover the truth. Finance Minister and Chairman of the Religious Zionism party, Bezalel Smotrich, described the suspicion of election manipulation via foreign Islamist money as a "test case for the State of Israel." He specifically called for the leaders of Arab parties to be investigated by the Shin Bet immediately, asserting that "the State of Israel will not be sold to radical Islam with terror funds."
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