Yair Lapid Warns of Russian and Iranian Influence Operations Ahead of Israeli Elections

Opposition leader and former Prime Minister Yair Lapid addressed the Knesset plenum on Wednesday, warning of foreign hostile actors attempting to interfere in Israel's upcoming elections through social media influence campaigns. Lapid specifically named Iran and Russia as actively conducting these operations, aiming to divide Israeli society, empower extremists, weaken moderates, and sow chaos and hatred.

During his speech, Lapid appealed directly to coalition members to unite in protecting Israel's democratic process, emphasizing that all sides must work together as one family rather than enemies. He called for immediate operational measures, urging the heads of Israel's security agencies and the Central Elections Committee to establish a unified coordinating body with authority and budget to safeguard the elections.

Lapid demanded that the Central Elections Committee be granted full powers to defend the electoral process under oversight from all political factions. He concluded by stressing that the election decision must remain free from hostile foreign influence, stating, "These elections must belong only to the citizens of Israel, not to Iran, Moscow, or anyone seeking to sow chaos for their own benefit." He noted that his remarks, while made publicly, were also intended as a direct message to the head of the Shin Bet security service.