Senior Analyst Claims Qatar and PA Tried to Influence Israeli Elections
Translated & summarized from Now 14 by baba
Senior Middle East analyst Yoni Ben Menachem claims Qatar and the Palestinian Authority attempted to influence Israeli elections. He alleges Qatar used bribery through Arab clan leaders, while the PA worked covertly to oust the right-wing government. Ben Menachem dismissed Qatar's denials as untrustworthy, citing its history of regional interference. He also warned of the security threat posed by the PA's armed forces.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Senior analyst Yoni Ben Menachem claims Qatar and the PA tried to influence Israeli elections.
- He alleges Qatar used bribery via Arab clan leaders to buy votes.
- Ben Menachem stated the PA worked covertly to topple the right-wing government.
- He dismissed Qatar's denials as untrustworthy due to its history of interference.
- The analyst warned of the security threat from the PA's 70,000 armed forces.
Senior Middle East analyst and researcher Yoni Ben Menachem expressed strong doubt regarding Qatar's denial of involvement in influencing Israeli elections. He warned about Qatar's intelligence and influence mechanisms operating across the Middle East. In an interview with "Israel HaBoker" on Channel 14, Ben Menachem detailed how, according to him, election bribery occurs through Arab community clan leaders. He also alleged that the Palestinian Authority (PA) worked behind the scenes to topple the right-wing government and cautioned about the tens of thousands of armed individuals within the Palestinian security forces.
Ben Menachem stated that Qatar's official denial of interfering and funneling funds into Israeli elections lacks credibility, especially after the former Prime Minister of Qatar, Hamed bin Jassim, publicly congratulated the success of Arab parties. He asserted that the Arab world also distrusts Qatar's denials due to its history of using its intelligence apparatus and shell companies to fund influence operations and even encourage terror against regimes in the Middle East, citing a past four-year boycott by several Arab nations.
Addressing reactions in the Arab world, Ben Menachem explained that while some Arab media outlets attempt to portray the investigation into election bribery as a political spin by the Likud and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, evidence suggests otherwise. He noted that election bribery is common within the Arab community, often facilitated by clan leaders who receive payments and distribute them to ensure votes. Ben Menachem emphasized that Qatar finds fertile ground within the Arab community for such bribery.
Furthermore, Ben Menachem highlighted the Palestinian Authority's "double game," stating that while PA leaders publicly claim non-interference in Israeli internal affairs, they secretly worked to prevent the election of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the right-wing government. He compared this to the 2022 elections, where PA intelligence chief Majed Faraj directly met with Arab party leaders, noting that this time their actions were more covert but equally persistent in their goal to oust the right-wing leadership, which they perceived as enemies.
Concluding the interview, Ben Menachem warned of the security threat posed by the PA, urging the government to act decisively against its military buildup. He described the PA as a dangerous entity undermining Israel and expressed hope for a strong right-wing government to dismantle the PA's forces, which he characterized as 70,000 armed individuals operating under the guise of a "Palestinian police force" and posing a real threat to Israeli settlements.
Mentioned
