Ex-Qatar PM Praises Arab Parties' Knesset Gains Amid Election Probe

Former Qatari Prime Minister Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani publicly praised the significant gains of Arab parties in the recent Knesset elections, which saw them secure nineteen mandates. His statement, released on social media platform X, came as Israeli security forces are investigating allegations of foreign interference and vote-buying within the Arab community during the elections.

Al Thani specifically lauded Member of Knesset Ahmad Tibi, chairman of the Ta'al party, for his dedication to the Arab public's rights and interests. The former Qatari leader expressed admiration for Tibi's efforts in fostering a united Palestinian political bloc with influence in the Knesset, even within the Israeli political system.

Tibi had recently returned from a brief 24-hour visit to Doha, Qatar, where he filmed an interview for the Qatari news network Al Jazeera, just two days before the election.

The statement from Al Thani has garnered attention in Arab media, highlighting his congratulations on the electoral success and his praise for Tibi. This comes at a critical juncture where the combined strength of Arab parties, holding twelve mandates for the Joint List and seven for Ra'am, could be decisive in forming the next Israeli government, as neither the right-wing bloc (53 seats) nor the left-wing bloc (48 seats) has an independent majority.

Concurrently, the investigation into suspected illicit foreign funding of the election process is intensifying. The Chairman of the Central Elections Committee, Supreme Court Justice Noam Solberg, sent a letter to Shin Bet Director David Zinai, urging a thorough investigation into allegations of foreign funding and election bribery aimed against Israeli interests. Initial findings suggest that millions of shekels from enemy states may have been used to fund vote-buying, leading to the arrest of seven suspects so far.