Likud Claims Foreign Interference in Elections, Demands Shin Bet Probe
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Israel's Likud party is demanding a Shin Bet investigation into alleged foreign interference and bribery in recent elections, citing suspicions involving Qatar. Central Elections Committee Chairman Judge Noam Sohlberg requested the probe after receiving information from Shin Bet head David Zini and materials from Likud. The investigation reportedly focuses on foreign funding to illegally increase Arab voter turnout, with Likud calling for a halt to any cooperation with Arab parties in the Knesset.
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- Likud demands Shin Bet probe into alleged foreign bribery and election interference, citing suspicions involving Qatar.
- Central Elections Committee Chairman Noam Sohlberg requested the Shin Bet investigate foreign influence.
- Shin Bet head David Zini provided Sohlberg with "reliable information" on suspected hostile state interference.
- Likud claims foreign entities bribed voters to support Arab parties, aiming to control the Knesset.
- The investigation reportedly examines large sums of money from Arab entities to boost Arab voter turnout.
- Likud stated no Zionist party should cooperate with Arab lists to replace the Knesset speaker.
The Likud party has reacted strongly to Central Elections Committee Chairman Judge Noam Sohlberg's request to the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) to investigate suspicions of foreign electoral bribery. Likud stated that the "Ra'am affair" is an "earthquake" and accused foreign entities of stealing the elections by bribing voters to support Arab parties. The party asserted this constitutes a hostile act against democracy, aiming for foreign control of the Knesset, the Islamization of Israel, and the downfall of the right-wing government to weaken the Israeli military. Likud emphasized that no Zionist party should cooperate with the United Arab List and the Joint List to replace the Knesset speaker using funds from alleged bribery, or to form a government that endangers Israel. They called for immediate and comprehensive investigation by the Shin Bet and police.
The Shin Bet has opened an investigation into suspected foreign interference in the elections. This follows Shin Bet head David Zini informing Judge Sohlberg of "reliable information" indicating "hostile state interference in the electoral process," as reported by Hebrew media. Zini and Sohlberg reportedly discussed the gathered information on the suspected interference, with media reports pointing to Qatar as the likely involved state. The Likud party also provided Sohlberg with recordings allegedly containing confessions from Arab community members about bribing voters with fuel vouchers and cash, following Likud's earlier accusations of Arab parties stealing the elections. The investigation reportedly incorporates materials found by the Shin Bet independently, not solely those provided by Likud.
In a letter to Zini, Judge Sohlberg expressed serious concerns about improper influence on the elections through foreign funding aimed against Israeli interests. He stated that while he could not definitively confirm the suspicions, the involvement of foreign entities necessitates an investigation to preserve the integrity of Knesset elections and prevent illegal activities that could harm the democratic system. Sohlberg instructed the Shin Bet head to investigate these suspicions to ensure public confidence in the elections' fairness. Hebrew Channel 12 reported that the investigation is examining large sums of money from Arab entities used to illegally boost Arab voter turnout. Walla! News reported that the interference appears to be an attempt by Qatar to influence Israeli elections, with the Elections Committee confirming the information. The report also mentioned the arrest of additional suspects in a bribery case for the United Arab List, announced on election day.
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