Shin Bet Clarifies Investigation into Foreign Election Interference

Israel's General, the Shin Bet, issued a formal statement addressing suspicions of foreign interference in the 26th Knesset elections. Hebrew media sources had reported that the suspicions centered on alleged fund transfers from Qatar to entities within Israel, intended to encourage Arab citizens to vote. The Shin Bet clarified that the information it gathered was based on its legal mandate to detect and expose external influence, and did not originate from any political party or faction. The agency stated that, with the exception of Judge Noam Sohlberg, the head of the elections committee, no one outside the Shin Bet was aware of the details of the investigation. The Shin Bet emphasized that the investigation is ongoing and that any reports regarding the specifics or nature of the suspicions do not represent the agency's findings. The agency stressed that the investigation is focused and limited, and is not aimed at blaming or holding an entire segment of society responsible.