Journalist Calls for Deep Probe into Election Irregularities Amid Political Storm

Journalist Ayelet Hasson is urging a thorough investigation into alleged irregularities and undeclared funds related to recent election results, particularly concerning the rise of Arab political parties. Speaking on Radio Galey Israel, Hasson criticized attempts to dismiss the inquiry as politically motivated, emphasizing the need to examine the findings of hundreds of thousands of shekels found with an individual and the implications of "black economy" activities. She questioned who benefits from silencing the investigation and what level of politicization has been reached.

Hasson also commented on intelligence information suggesting a political figure received hundreds of thousands of shekels, questioning the source, whether it was from the Palestinian Authority, Qatar, or another organization. She stated this information should have been handled more decisively and less politically, noting the leaks surrounding it.

Her remarks come amidst a heated public and media debate. Journalist Guy Peleg sharply criticized the discourse surrounding the integrity of elections in the Arab sector. Peleg accused the Likud campaign of orchestrating a narrative of election theft, alleging bribery, cash envelopes, threats to poll workers, and the use of forbidden software to mobilize voters, describing it as a planned influence operation.

Hasson's comments follow recent controversies. The internal ethics committee of the Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation recently accepted her apology for remarks made about Bedouin women in the Negev, whom she described as battered, living in polygamy, and exploiting benefits. The corporation also issued an official apology to the Bedouin community, and Hasson is set to clarify her statements on air. Despite the apology, civil society organizations, including the Sikui-Poalim association, deemed the corporation's response insufficient and called for practical measures against Hasson.