Shin Bet Denies Leaks on Foreign Election Influence Probe
Translated & summarized from Maariv by baba
The Shin Bet has denied rumors about information it received concerning foreign influence in the elections, confirming an ongoing investigation into potential interference, possibly by Qatar. The agency stated that information was not leaked from political parties and that only Judge Noam Sohlberg had access to it before the elections concluded. The investigation's findings will be presented to the Election Committee chairman.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Shin Bet investigating suspected foreign influence in elections, possibly by Qatar.
- Agency denies information originated from any political party or faction.
- Only Judge Noam Sohlberg had access to the information before elections ended.
- Shin Bet findings will be presented to the Election Committee chairman.
- Investigation is ongoing and unrelated to other arrests.
The Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) has issued a statement to quell rumors regarding information it received about foreign influence in the recent elections. The agency confirmed it opened an investigation into suspected foreign interference, potentially by Qatar, following reports about the source of the information. The Shin Bet emphasized that the information did not originate from any political party or faction.
According to the statement, no one outside the Shin Bet, apart from Judge Noam Sohlberg, was privy to the information until after the elections concluded. The agency stressed that its investigation is ongoing and any statements about the content or nature of the suspicions are not on behalf of the Shin Bet, and such remarks should be avoided. Upon completion, the findings will be presented to the Chairman of the Election Committee, who is authorized to make decisions on the matter.
Judge Sohlberg had previously written to Shin Bet head David Zini, expressing serious concerns about alleged improper influence on the 26th Knesset elections through foreign funding by entities acting against Israeli interests. The Shin Bet clarified that this investigation is unrelated to the arrests of suspects found with envelopes in the southern region, reportedly linked to the Ra'am party.
The Shin Bet's announcement was prompted by inquiries from journalists following Judge Sohlberg's document. The investigation is still underway, and the agency is working to prevent premature speculation about its findings.
