Shin Bet Lacks Evidence of Foreign Election Interference, Report Says

An investigation by Israel's Shin Bet security agency into alleged foreign interference in Israeli elections has so far failed to produce evidence of attempts to influence vote results or foreign funding for Arab parties, according to a report by the Hebrew newspaper Haaretz. Officials familiar with the probe told the paper that evidence gathered by the Shin Bet and police does not link the funds under scrutiny to vote-buying or election bribery. The investigation is currently focused on transfers of hundreds of thousands of shekels, suspected to have originated from the Palestinian Authority rather than Qatar or another Arab state, contrary to earlier claims of widespread foreign funding aimed at influencing the elections.

Despite interrogating dozens of individuals, the Shin Bet has not found proof connecting these funds to bribing voters or supporting specific Arab parties. Evidence of fuel coupons being used as a form of electoral bribery has also not emerged. One official described the available information as intelligence data lacking a concrete basis, casting doubt on the possibility of opening a criminal investigation due to insufficient supporting evidence.

The police and Shin Bet are preparing to submit separate reports to State Prosecutor Gali Baharav-Miara in the coming days, outlining the investigation's findings and recommendations. If no new evidence surfaces, it is unlikely that any individuals involved will be summoned for further questioning, as there is insufficient grounds for criminal proceedings. Baharav-Miara previously stated she had seen no data suggesting foreign interference impacted election results. She emphasized that decisions to summon individuals for investigation must be based on professional, objective evidence, independent of political or national affiliations.

These developments follow claims by Shin Bet head David Zini about potential widespread foreign interference, including the transfer of funds to influence voters and suspicions involving Arab political parties and figures. Zini reportedly requested an examination of suspicions concerning lawmakers Ahmad Tibi and Mansour Abbas, and Balad Party head Sami Abu Shehadeh, with reports suggesting a desire to expand the investigation to other prominent Arab political figures. This request reportedly caused friction with the State Prosecutor, who stressed the need for sufficient evidence before summoning elected officials as suspects.

The allegations surfaced before the election, initially suggesting large sums from foreign entities, including Qatar, were transferred to influence results and boost Arab parties. However, Haaretz's reporting indicates the funds currently being examined are suspected to be from the Palestinian Authority and amount to hundreds of thousands of shekels. The controversy coincided with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his allies contesting the election results and alleging irregularities in Arab-majority towns, using the foreign interference claims to question the election's integrity. However, no evidence has been presented to demonstrate that these claims affected the final results or the distribution of Knesset seats.