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Israeli Minister Demands Arrest of Arab Party Leaders Over Election Interference Claims
On Thursday, October 29, 2026, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich demanded that the Shin Bet arrest and investigate Arab party leaders suspected of involvement in foreign election interference. The demands followed a directive from the Chairman of the Central Elections Committee, Judge Noam Sohlberg, to Shin Bet head David Zini, ordering an investigation into suspected foreign funding aimed at swaying the elections for the 26th Knesset.
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What happened
- 01Central Elections Committee Chairman Judge Noam Sohlberg ordered the Shin Bet to investigate suspected foreign interference in the 26th Knesset elections.
- 02National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir demanded the immediate arrest of Arab party leaders and Muslim Brotherhood affiliates suspected of involvement with Qatari funding.
- 03Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich called for an immediate Shin Bet investigation into the Arab party leaders, citing concerns over foreign Islamist money.
- 04The investigation focuses on suspicions that Qatar and potentially another country attempted to influence Israeli election outcomes through illicit financial channels.
- 05Opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot urged a thorough investigation into the complaints while warning against political exploitation to affect the swearing-in of the Knesset.
The allegations center on suspicions that Qatar, and potentially another country, used illicit financial channels to influence election results. Minister Ben-Gvir urged the Shin Bet to immediately arrest the heads of the Arab parties and other suspects, including individuals from the Muslim Brotherhood and its affiliates, provided there is a legal basis. He described the situation as a "political October 27th."
Finance Minister Smotrich stated that the suspicion of election manipulation with foreign Islamist money is a test case for Israel, asserting that the state will not be sold to radical Islam with terror money. Meanwhile, opposition figures called for a swift and thorough investigation while warning against political exploitation. Gadi Eisenkot emphasized the need to protect election integrity but cautioned against using the probe to influence the swearing-in of the 26th Knesset.
Summarized by baba from the reports of 4 newsrooms. Updated
Latest report: The Jerusalem Post. Read The Jerusalem Post’s originalThe coverage
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Israeli Minister Demands Arrest of Arab Party Leaders Over Election Interference Claims
