Arutz ShevaSecurity17:29

Shin Bet Clarifies Election Probe Focus, Denies Political Source

By ערוץ 7

Translated & summarized from Arutz Sheva by baba

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Israel's Shin Bet security agency clarified that its election influence probe's information was gathered independently, not from political sources. The investigation is ongoing, with findings to be presented to the Central Elections Committee chairman. Shin Bet Director David Zini briefed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Gadi Eisenkot, and Yair Lapid on the matter.

The story in 5 lines · by baba

Shin Bet confirmed its election probe information was gathered independently, not from political sources.
The investigation focuses on suspected foreign influence in the Arab sector during elections.
Shin Bet Director David Zini briefed Prime Minister Netanyahu, Gadi Eisenkot, and Yair Lapid.
Judge Noam Sohlberg was the only non-Shin Bet official aware of the information before elections.
The agency stated the investigation is ongoing and focused on individuals acting illegally.

Shin Bet Clarifies Election Probe Focus, Denies Political Source — Editorial illustration generated by baba News, not a photograph of the event.

Israel's internal security agency, the Shin Bet, issued a clarification on Thursday regarding its investigation into suspected foreign influence in the Arab sector during recent elections. The agency emphasized that the information central to the probe was gathered independently as part of its mandate to detect foreign interference and did not originate from any political party or figure.

"The information in question stems from intelligence gathered by the Shin Bet in accordance with its legal mandate concerning the detection of foreign influence, and does not come from a party or political element on one side or the other of the political map," the Shin Bet stated. The agency noted that until the elections concluded, the sole individual outside the Shin Bet privy to the information was the Chairman of the Central Elections Committee, Judge Noam Sohlberg.

The Shin Bet stressed that the investigation is ongoing and that no conclusions about the nature or content of the suspicions should be drawn at this stage. "The Shin Bet has not yet concluded the investigation, and any statement regarding the content or nature of the suspicions is not on behalf of the Shin Bet, and it would have been appropriate to refrain from doing so," the statement read.

Upon completion of the investigation, the findings will be transferred to the Chairman of the Central Elections Committee, who is authorized to make decisions on the matter. The Shin Bet committed to presenting all information transparently and without interpretation to the committee's decision-makers. The agency also stated that the investigation is focused and limited to those involved, and does not cast a shadow over or accuse an entire sector that voted democratically and legally. Only those who acted illegally will be dealt with.

Shin Bet Director David Zini updated Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Yisrael Beiteinu party chairman Gadi Eisenkot, and Opposition leader Yair Lapid on the investigation in the past day. These updates were provided with the approval and at the request of the Chairman of the Central Elections Committee.