Shin Bet Chief's Probe of Arab Lawmakers Sparks Political Firestorm

Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara is currently reviewing the evidence before deciding whether to approve the interrogations. While a joint investigation team of the Shin Bet and the police has been agreed upon, the security service had not yet shared its documents with the police two days after the agreement. There is reportedly a broad consensus among relevant officials regarding significant evidence against the unnamed senior lawmaker, but the Attorney General has demanded to see evidence against the other politicians before approving their questioning.

The request has sparked a political firestorm and accusations from various sides. Mansour Abbas declared his readiness to cooperate with any investigation, stating he has no fear of the authorities, while denouncing the allegations as an attempt to discredit the Arab public. The Joint List warned against framing the Arab vote as a security threat, and Gadi Eisenkot, leader of the Yashar! party, criticized the Shin Bet chief's actions as politically motivated. Conversely, the Likud party accused the Attorney General of selectively applying the law and obstructing the investigation.