Shin Bet Chief's Probe of Arab Lawmakers Sparks Political Firestorm

Political reactions erupted in Israel following reports that Shin Bet chief Davide Zini is seeking to question four Arab politicians over alleged foreign interference in elections. Mansour Abbas, head of the United Arab List, declared his readiness to cooperate with law enforcement, while Gadi Eisenkot, leader of the "Yashar!" Party, criticized Zini's actions. The Joint List warned against framing the Arab vote as a security threat.

Abbas stated he has no fear of any investigation and that he and his party members are prepared to face authorities, emphasizing his rejection of attempts to tarnish the Arab public's reputation. He called on state institutions to respect the voters' decisions and treat all citizens responsibly, upholding the rule of law. Abbas asserted that the judicial authorities have proven their adherence to the law, not political entities.

Eisenkot criticized the Shin Bet chief's efforts, arguing that public servants work for the state and are not "servants of a king." He cautioned against the misuse of authority for political purposes and accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Likud party of undermining democracy and pushing Israel toward a constitutional crisis due to their political predicament.

The Joint List rejected the calls for investigations, viewing them as part of a campaign to incite against the Arab public and delegitimize its representatives. They warned that the Arab electorate's decision could be turned into a security threat.

These developments follow reports that Zini requested to question Mansour Abbas, Ahmad Tibi (head of the Arab Movement for Change), Sami Abu Shehadeh (head of the National Democratic Assembly), and another Knesset member whose name is under a gag order, on suspicion of involvement in foreign election interference.

Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara stressed that investigations into citizens or elected officials require sufficient evidence and demanded the Shin Bet provide the basis for its suspicions. She noted the agency's two-day delay in transferring collected materials to the investigation team, which is causing delays in processing the case.

Meanwhile, Central Elections Committee Chairman Noam Sohlberg announced that the official election results would be published the following day, as per legal procedures. The suspicions of foreign interference are still under examination, with no findings yet confirming the involvement of any of the politicians named in the reports.