developing· Security· Updated 21:23

Ex-Netanyahu Aide Fueled Election Fraud Claims Against Arab Activists

A political storm erupted in Israel on Sunday following a television report alleging that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office orchestrated a covert operation to plant intelligence within the police targeting Arab citizens on the eve of elections. According to Haaretz English, a former employee of the Prime Minister's Office provided police with a tip alleging election fraud by three United Arab List activists, who were subsequently arrested on Election Day. The Prime Minister's Chief of Staff, Ido Nordon, reportedly alerted Israel Police Commissioner Danny Levy to the allegations and directed police to the source.

3 newsrooms · 2 languages · since 21:00

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What happened

01A former employee of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office allegedly supplied police with election fraud claims against Arab activists, leading to three arrests on Election Day.
02Prime Minister's Chief of Staff Ido Nordon reportedly alerted Israel Police Commissioner Danny Levy to the allegations and directed police to the source.
03The Prime Minister's Office denied the report, stating that Nordon merely fulfilled his duty as a law-abiding citizen by connecting a source to the police.
04Shin Bet chief David Zini requested approval to wiretap five Arab lawmakers, but Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara denied the request.
05Shin Bet chief David Zini also sought to question Arab lawmakers Ayman Odeh, Ahmad Tibi, and Mansour Abbas.
06Opposition leaders Gadi Eisenkot and Yair Golan condemned the alleged actions as a direct threat to Israeli democracy and demanded immediate inquiries.
07The Movement for Quality of Government called for an immediate criminal investigation into the allegations against the Prime Minister's Office.

In response, the Prime Minister's Office denied the report, calling it an attempt to suppress an election tampering affair. The office stated that Nordon acted as a law-abiding citizen by connecting a person with criminal information to the police, and asserted that any further allegations of Nordon's involvement are false and libelous. According to the statement, Nordon never spoke with police intelligence officials or investigators.

Separately, Haaretz English reported that Shin Bet chief David Zini requested Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara's approval to wiretap five Arab lawmakers over suspicions of foreign election involvement, which the attorney general denied. Zini also sought to question lawmakers Ayman Odeh, Ahmad Tibi, and Mansour Abbas. Opposition leaders, including Gadi Eisenkot and Yair Golan, strongly condemned the alleged actions as a direct threat to Israeli democracy, while the Movement for Quality of Government demanded an immediate criminal investigation.

Summarized by baba from the reports of 3 newsrooms. Updated 21:41

Latest report: Haaretz English. Read Haaretz English’s original