Shin Bet Chief Accused of Political Interference Ahead of Election Results

The investigation centers on suspicions that foreign entities, including the Palestinian Authority, Turkey, and Qatar, funneled money to influence public opinion and voter behavior. A Mossad investigation into potential Qatari funding did not substantiate the claim, and investigators now suspect the Palestinian Authority as the source of the funds. A dispute has emerged between Zini and Baharav-Miara over the classification of the case. Zini has pushed to classify the probe as a state security matter, which would grant the Shin Bet expanded powers such as wiretapping and restricting lawyer access, but Baharav-Miara rejected this demand as unlawful without sufficient evidence of security crimes.

Although a joint Shin Bet and police investigation team was established, it has not yet commenced operations because the Shin Bet has delayed transferring the relevant materials to the police. Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Central Elections Committee, Justice Noam Sohlberg, authorized the Shin Bet to employ exceptional technological surveillance capabilities for the probe, though the committee noted that any proven interference would not alter the election outcomes. The controversy has sparked a political storm, with the Likud party and the Netanyahu bloc accusing Baharav-Miara of obstructing the investigation, while the Eisenkot bloc and Arab politicians have criticized Zini's demands.