PM Netanyahu's Office Accused of Orchestrating Election Day Raids
Translated & summarized from Mako by baba
An Israeli news report alleges Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office instigated the arrest of Ra'am activists on election day using questionable intelligence, fueling a campaign about Arab voter fraud. The Shin Bet chief also reportedly sought to wiretap Arab lawmakers, citing election interference concerns. The arrests led to no charges, and the intelligence was later found to be exaggerated, raising concerns about the integrity of the electoral process.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Netanyahu's office allegedly provided intelligence leading to election day arrests of Ra'am activists.
- Raids on activists' homes were conducted without search warrants, and charges were ultimately dropped.
- Shin Bet head David Zini sought to wiretap Arab lawmakers, citing election interference.
- The intelligence used for the arrests was reportedly exaggerated and politically motivated.
- The events have raised concerns about the fairness of future Israeli elections.
An investigation by "Uvda" reveals allegations that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office may have orchestrated the arrest of Ra'am party activists on election day, fueling a campaign alleging Arab voter fraud. The report claims that Ido Norden, Netanyahu's chief of staff, contacted the police commissioner's office on election eve with a complaint about Ra'am activists in the south. The Prime Minister's office allegedly then provided intelligence information, sourced from a former employee of the Prime Minister's office, to the police. This information, which later proved to be exaggerated, led to raids without search warrants on the homes of three Ra'am activists, including Dr. Siaf Abu Riash, a doctor from Rahat.
Netanyahu reportedly amplified the news of these arrests throughout election day, leveraging an event his office is accused of helping to instigate. The revelations have raised concerns within the Attorney General's office and the police's investigations department, which are reportedly examining suspicions of pre-planted information designed to bolster the complaint originating from the Prime Minister's office. The police are suspected of involvement in the planning, execution, and amplification of these arrests, which ultimately led to no charges.
In parallel, Shin Bet head David Zini reportedly requested authorization to wiretap five Arab Knesset members on election day, citing suspicions of foreign interference. This request was reportedly blocked by the Attorney General's office. Zini is quoted as saying that previous Shin Bet heads ignored intelligence suggesting Arabs were stealing elections since 2018, and he intended to address it. However, senior figures in law enforcement and the Shin Bet itself are reportedly concerned about Zini's actions and the potential impact on public trust.
Dr. Abu Riash was detained for six days, despite police admitting to issues with the search conducted without a warrant. His lawyer questioned whether the investigation originated from a political source, a question the police investigator did not deny. The judge eventually released Dr. Abu Riash, who was prevented from voting on election day. His wife, Miriam Abu Riash, who is heavily pregnant, gave birth to a daughter shortly after his release.
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