not everywhere· Security· Updated 3 Nov, 22:47

Legal Advisor Confirms I24NEWS Report: Shin Bet Chief Sought Probe of Arab MKs Without Evidence

Shin Bet Chief David Zini requested that Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara formally investigate four senior Arab politicians under caution for suspected foreign election interference. The targeted individuals include Ra'am chairman Mansour Abbas, Ta'al chairman Ahmad Tibi, Balad chairman Sami Abu Shehadeh, and an unnamed senior Knesset member. While law enforcement officials and the Attorney General's office agree that significant evidence exists against the unnamed Knesset member, they state there is no evidentiary basis to investigate Abbas, Tibi, and Abu Shehadeh.

6 newsrooms · 2 languages · since 3 Nov, 21:16

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What happened

01Shin Bet Chief David Zini requested to investigate Arab politicians Mansour Abbas, Ahmad Tibi, Sami Abu Shehadeh, and an unnamed Knesset member for foreign election interference.
02Law enforcement officials and Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara stated there is no evidentiary basis to investigate Abbas, Tibi, and Abu Shehadeh.
03The Attorney General's office accused the Shin Bet of delaying the probe by failing to transfer required materials to a joint investigation team.
04Central Elections Committee Chairman Justice Noam Sohlberg authorized the Shin Bet to use exceptional technological surveillance tools for the investigation.
05The Likud party accused the Attorney General of obstructing the investigation, while the Eisenkot bloc and Arab politicians criticized Zini's request.
06The Central Elections Committee stated that even if foreign interference were proven, it would not alter the election results or seat allocations.

The request has sparked a major political storm and a dispute between Zini and Baharav-Miara. The Attorney General's office denied allegations of delaying the probe, stating that the Shin Bet has failed to transfer the necessary materials to a joint investigation team formed with the police. Baharav-Miara emphasized that citizens and elected officials cannot be investigated without a factual basis, while the Likud party accused her of obstructing the investigation and attempting a cover-up.

Separately, the Chairman of the Central Elections Committee, Justice Noam Sohlberg, authorized the Shin Bet to employ exceptional technological and surveillance tools for the investigation. This authorization followed Zini's insistence that the foreign influence suspicions constitute security offenses rather than criminal ones. The Central Elections Committee maintained that any proven interference would not alter the election outcomes or seat allocations.

Summarized by baba from the reports of 6 newsrooms. Updated 02:37

Latest report: i24NEWS Arabic. Read i24NEWS Arabic’s original

Who reports what

“Shin Bet Chief David Zini requested to investigate three senior figures from Arab parties despite a lack of evidentiary basis.”

per Kan News

2 of 6 newsrooms · not Hamal, Globes, Kikar HaShabbat, Mako

“Apart from one other Member of Knesset from the Joint List, there is no evidence to justify investigating Tibi, Abbas, and Abu Shehadeh.”

per Law enforcement officials

1 of 6 newsrooms · not Hamal, Globes, Kikar HaShabbat, Mako

“Zini sought to investigate four senior figures from Arab parties, including a Knesset member allegedly receiving funds, as well as Tibi, Abbas, and Abu Shehadeh.”

per I24news

4 of 6 newsrooms · not Kikar HaShabbat, i24NEWS Arabic

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