Shin Bet Clarifies Foreign Influence Probe, Urges Against Broad Accusations

The Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) issued a clarification on Thursday regarding its investigation into alleged foreign influence in the recent elections. The agency emphasized that the information forming the basis of the probe was gathered independently, in accordance with its legal mandate to counter foreign influence, and did not originate from any political party. It was also stated that until the vote concluded, no one outside the agency had access to this information, with the sole exception of the Chairman of the Central Elections Committee, Judge Noam Sohlberg.

Amidst public discourse on the matter, the Shin Bet clarified that the investigation is ongoing and that any statements regarding the specifics or nature of the allegations are not on behalf of the organization and should be avoided. However, with the approval and at the request of the Elections Committee Chairman, Shin Bet head David Zini personally updated Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, "Yashar" party chairman Gadi Eisenkot, and Opposition leader Yair Lapid on the main suspicions being investigated within the last 24 hours.

The Shin Bet stressed that the investigation is focused and contained, stating, "This is not to cast a shadow or accuse an entire sector that went out to vote democratically and legally. Only those who acted contrary to the law will be dealt with." Upon completion, all findings will be transparently and fully transferred to the Chairman of the Central Elections Committee and the committee's decision-makers, who are the authorized bodies to rule on the matter.

Earlier reports indicated that Zini had approached Judge Sohlberg weeks prior with initial information about suspected Qatari involvement in the elections. Sohlberg then directed Zini to Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara, and according to Shin Bet sources, Zini did indeed provide her with an opinion on the matter. However, these sources claimed that the information reported in the media was disproportionate to the actual scope of the issue.

The current suspicion involves hundreds of thousands of shekels allegedly originating from Qatar, transferred to an entity identified with the Joint List, with the purpose of the transfer under investigation. Sources added that Zini met with Judge Sohlberg again on Wednesday without informing the Attorney General, raising questions about the necessity of Sohlberg's official letter to Zini if Zini had initially provided the information. The affair began with Judge Sohlberg's request to Zini to open an investigation into suspicions of foreign funding and election bribery within the Arab community, specifically alleging that Qatar transferred funds to encourage voting in the Arab sector through channels previously used for terror financing.

The Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs, through its spokesperson Dr. Majed Al-Ansari, issued a strong denial on X, refuting claims of Qatari interference or funding in Israeli elections and accusing some Israeli politicians and media contacts of launching a disinformation campaign. He sarcastically noted that if these claims were true, Qatar would seemingly own all of Israel, calling the accusations both ridiculous and dangerous.

In parallel to the Shin Bet's investigation, a police investigation is also underway. Four additional suspects from the Negev Bedouin community, including three school principals, were arrested on suspicion of undermining election integrity, with hundreds of thousands of shekels found in their possession. This brings the total number of individuals detained by police to seven. The investigation has been transferred to the National Fraud Unit (Lahav 433), and the suspects were released to house arrest until Sunday. Inspector General of the Israel Police, Lt. Gen. Dany Levy, stated that the police are committed to upholding election integrity and will thoroughly investigate all complaints and suspicions without bias.

The affair has sparked a political storm, with each side accusing the other of attempting to undermine democracy. President Isaac Herzog urged calm, emphasizing that while election integrity is paramount and perpetrators must be punished, it is crucial to avoid stigmatizing an entire public sector. The Likud party labeled the events "Ra'amGate," calling it an "earthquake" and alleging foreign entities stole the elections to facilitate foreign control of the Knesset, Islamization of Israel, and the downfall of the right-wing government. They demanded immediate action from the Shin Bet and police. Allies of Netanyahu echoed these demands, with Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich calling it a test for Israel and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir demanding the arrest of Arab party leaders and others involved.

Conversely, opposition leaders supported the security establishment but sharply criticized Prime Minister Netanyahu. Gadi Eisenkot stressed the importance of election integrity while cautioning against political exploitation to delay the Knesset's swearing-in. He accused Netanyahu of using the situation to sow chaos and delegitimize the new Knesset. Naftali Bennett also expressed confidence in the Shin Bet and Sohlberg but dismissed Netanyahu's outcry, recalling his own past demands for Qatar to be declared an enemy state. Avigdor Lieberman called the situation dramatic and unprecedented, urging swift action.

Leaders of Arab parties vehemently denied the accusations and pointed fingers back at the Prime Minister's office. Mansour Abbas of Ra'am welcomed the investigation and stated his party's full cooperation, dismissing the allegations as baseless. Yousef Jabareen of the Joint List accused Netanyahu of inciting racism against the Arab public to overturn election results, while Sami Abu Shehadeh of Balad criticized the losing side for fabricating accusations to prevent the Knesset's formation. The Likud party had previously claimed that the elections were stolen by Arab parties through bribery and other criminal acts, submitting hundreds of testimonies and evidence to the authorities. The Central Elections Committee stated it is examining all complaints regarding election integrity as part of its standard post-election review process.