Shin Bet Prepares Dedicated Cyber Unit to Protect Israel's October Elections from Foreign Interference

Ahead of Israel's 26th Knesset elections scheduled for October 27, the Shin Bet has established a specialized team tasked with safeguarding the integrity of the electoral process. Preparations have been underway for several months, with the new unit maintaining continuous coordination with the Central Elections Committee, police, and regulatory bodies to proactively monitor potential threats.

On October 23, a closed session was held by the Intelligence Subcommittee of the Foreign Affairs and Security Committee, attended by Shin Bet Chief David Zinny, Central Elections Committee Chair and Supreme Court Justice Noam Solberg, and Acting CEO of the committee Din Livneh. The Shin Bet identified three primary threats during the election period: ideologically motivated attacks, threats against candidates, and foreign attempts to influence the elections, particularly through cyber means and social media bots.

Sources highlighted a notable escalation in hostile foreign efforts to incite internal conflict and deepen societal divisions, primarily attributed to Iran, Russia, and China. The Shin Bet has already conducted joint simulations of attack scenarios involving the Central Elections Committee, the National Cyber Directorate, the National Security Council, and the IDF. As part of the preparations, joint command centers will operate on election day and for several days afterward to respond immediately to any cyber incidents or influence attempts.

David Zinny emphasized the clear separation between the Shin Bet's routine work under the Prime Minister's Office and its election-related responsibilities under the Central Elections Committee. He stressed the agency's commitment to conducting its work faithfully and impartially to ensure a robust and lawful democratic process, urging the public to avoid politicizing the agency's role.