Shin Bet Warns Against Discrediting Arab Voters Amid Election Probe

Israel's internal security agency, Shin Bet, clarified on Thursday that its investigation into suspected foreign interference in recent elections is based on intelligence gathered internally, not information from any political party. The agency also cautioned against using the probe to discredit Arab citizens who voted legally, emphasizing that the investigation is "targeted and delimited." Shin Bet stated that its work is ongoing and that public statements about the investigation's details or nature do not reflect its official position, noting that no confirmed interference has been established at this stage.

The Central Election Commission, through its acting Director General Dean Livne and with the approval of its president, Judge Noam Sohlberg, has rejected accusations of systematic irregularities. Livne asserted that the elections were conducted lawfully and that claims of systematic integrity breaches are unfounded based on the commission's information. A commission source told the Jerusalem Post that the investigation will not delay the announcement of results or prevent Isaac Herzog from forming a government, adding that the focus should be on whether any influence affected Knesset seat distribution before considering new elections.

In a letter to Shin Bet Director David Zini on Wednesday, Sohlberg requested evidence to confirm or refute suspicions of foreign funding and vote-buying, acknowledging serious concerns but unable to assess their validity. Neither the Shin Bet statement nor Sohlberg's letter identified any specific country, political party, or financial channels, though Qatar and Turkey, mentioned in press reports, have denied any involvement.

Separately, police announced the arrest of four additional suspects in a suspected vote-buying case, following three arrests earlier in the week. Cash and Ra'am ballots were reportedly found during searches. This police investigation, handled by the Lahav 433 unit, is distinct from the foreign influence probe. Mansour Abbas, chairman of Ra'am, denied any party connection to the allegations and pledged full cooperation with authorities.

The Likud party claims to possess testimonies and evidence of electoral fraud, intimidation, and corruption, and is considering requesting the annulment of results in certain polling stations. However, police stated that broader accusations of a "stolen" election are not currently supported by any investigative or intelligence findings.

Opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot, after meeting with Zini and Sohlberg, urged for political non-interference in the professionals' work, stating it's too early to determine if anything occurred. Eisenkot accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Likud of orchestrating a campaign to delegitimize the results and vowed to oppose any delay in convening the new Knesset. The article notes that suspicions do not automatically trigger an election annulment; challenging results requires a separate judicial process to prove that alleged irregularities could have altered the vote's outcome.