Eisenkot Accuses Netanyahu of Election Interference Amid Foreign Influence Probe

Gadi Eisenkot, Chairman of the Yisrael Beiteinu party, has broken his silence regarding suspicions of foreign involvement in the 26th Knesset elections, demanding an impartial investigation by the Shin Bet. Simultaneously, Eisenkot launched a sharp attack on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, accusing him of attempting to delay the election results and undermine the legitimacy of the incoming Knesset.

Eisenkot stated, "I welcome Netanyahu's condemnation of Qatari involvement in Israel." He emphasized that foreign interference is unacceptable, especially from a state that finances Hamas, and that it is equally serious whether it occurs in the Prime Minister's office or during elections. He called for the Shin Bet to conduct a full and immediate investigation without bias, advocating for a firm response against anyone found to have harmed or attempted to harm election integrity.

"Any decision regarding the elections must be made with extreme solemnity, understanding that the 26th Knesset must be sworn in on time. Realizing the will of the voters in democratic elections is a fundamental component of Israeli democracy and national resilience," Eisenkot asserted. He further accused Netanyahu and his allies of orchestrating a "deceptive influence campaign" to delay the election results and create "fictitious delegitimization" of the 26th Knesset's activities.

Eisenkot criticized the attempt to use uninvestigated information to challenge official election results, particularly those where the public voted against the "government of failure." He concluded by reiterating that such attempts are unacceptable and must be rejected.

His remarks follow a directive from Noam Sohlberg, Chairman of the Central Elections Committee, to Shin Bet head David Zini to examine serious allegations of undue influence on the elections through foreign funding from entities acting against Israeli interests. The police have also arrested additional suspects in connection with an investigation into vote-buying for the Ra'am party. The Likud party had previously referred to the affair as "Ra'amgate," alleging foreign attempts to influence the Knesset's composition and urging against cooperation with Ra'am and the Joint List in forming the next government.