Full coverage· Security· Updated 2 Nov, 22:57

Attorney General Clashes With Shin Bet Over Election Probe

Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara has blocked the Shin Bet from interrogating parliamentary aides to a Joint List Knesset member suspected of receiving foreign funds to influence election results. The Attorney General ruled that because the investigation concerns suspicions against a lawmaker, the immunity rules and procedures required for investigating Knesset members also apply to their aides. She informed the Shin Bet that it must first establish a substantiated evidentiary basis against the Knesset member before she will consider approving the summons for questioning.

3 newsrooms · 3 languages · since 2 Nov, 22:06

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What happened

01Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara blocked the Shin Bet from interrogating parliamentary aides to a Joint List Knesset member without prior evidence against the lawmaker.
02The Attorney General ruled that parliamentary immunity rules and procedures required for investigating Knesset members also apply to their aides.
03Shin Bet Director David Zini criticized the legal authorities, accusing them of trying to slow down and bypass him in the election interference probe.
04The investigation, which involves both the Shin Bet and the Mossad, concerns allegations of foreign funding to influence Israeli election results.
05Suspicion is currently focused on one lawmaker, with sources noting the sums involved are smaller than reported and that Qatar's involvement is not central.
06The Likud party accused Attorney General Baharav-Miara of selective enforcement and attempting to obstruct the investigation.

The decision has sparked a dispute with Shin Bet Director David Zini, who criticized the legal authorities, stating they are trying to slow him down and bypass him. The ongoing investigation, which also involves the Mossad, is examining allegations of foreign funding to sway election outcomes. While suspicion is currently focused on one lawmaker regarding a specific sum, sources familiar with the investigation noted that the sums are smaller than previously reported and that while Qatar is involved, it is not central to the probe.

Following the reports, the Likud party strongly criticized the Attorney General, accusing her of selective enforcement and attempting to obstruct the investigation into foreign election interference.

Summarized by baba from the reports of 3 newsrooms. Updated 09:11

Latest report: Israel National News. Read Israel National News’s original