Israel's Attorney General: No Evidence of Election-Altering Interference

Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara stated on Sunday that the evidentiary basis presented to her does not support claims of interference that could alter election results. "I am not aware of any basis that, even remotely, could influence the outcome of the elections or establish a claim of influence that could lead to a change in the election results," she said at the Justice Ministry's annual seminar in Eilat. Baharav-Miara clarified that "so far, I have been presented with initial evidentiary material concerning only isolated and limited incidents." She added that any new information presented would be examined and handled according to the law. The continuation of the investigation will proceed according to the recommendations of the joint Shin Bet and police team, she explained, emphasizing that decisions to investigate suspects are based on evidence, not political or ethnic considerations. "When there is an evidentiary basis, whoever needs to be investigated will be investigated. This is not a matter of right or left. This is not a matter of Jewish or Arab. The decision whether to investigate a person is a professional, objective, and egalitarian decision. It was so and it will be so." She also addressed offenses concerning election integrity, calling them "anti-democratic," and affirmed that investigations would be opened wherever there is reasonable suspicion of criminal activity, noting that significant investigative actions have already been approved. Baharav-Miara mentioned that the Chairman of the Central Elections Committee, Judge Noam Sohlberg, is being kept informed of developments, praising his professional and responsible handling of the matter. These remarks followed a dispute last week between the Attorney General and Shin Bet head David Zini regarding Zini's request to investigate senior figures in Arab parties and the required evidentiary basis for such action. Representatives from the Shin Bet, police, and State Prosecutor's Office met for the first time on Thursday as part of the joint investigation.