Foreign interference in voting, Shin Bet investigation. Suspicions about Qatar

The president of the Israeli Central Election Commission (CEC), the judge Noam Sohlberg, asked the head of the Shin Bet, David Zinito investigate possible foreign interference in Tuesday’s election.

“Serious suspicions have been brought to my attention regarding improper influence on elections through funding provided by foreign entities acting against Israeli interests,” Sohlberg wrote in a letter published by Israeli media.

The call for a thorough investigation

“While I cannot substantiate the veracity of these suspicions, given that they involve foreign entities, I believe there is an obligation to investigate thoroughly,” Sohlberg further explained. Therefore, “I order to do everything possible to investigate these suspicions, using the authority of the Shin Bet to discover evidence that supports or refutes” the rumors.

“Only in this way can we guarantee public trust in the electoral process and the integrity of the democratic procedure”, said the judge who gave the Shin Bet a week to present his conclusions.

I suspect sul Qatar

An investigation was immediately launched: and the suspicion that arose following the outcome of the first investigations was that these interferences could involve the Qatar. He brings it back Yedioth Ahronothreporting that it gives an account of the conversation that last night the director of the intelligence agency, David Zinihe had with the judgeSohlbergto which he provided “concrete elements” confirming such suspicions that Qatar may have transferred “sums of moneyor very large” to influence the results of the elections.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud had already made accusations during the vote, claiming that attempts were underway by Arab parties to “steal the elections”. The Conservative Party gave Sohlberg tapes in which Arab officials admitted to bribing voters by offering them fuel vouchers and cash.

Wednesday 28 October the Likud, on X, posted a harsh statement indictment, calling for an investigation: “The elections in the State of Israel were stolen by Arab parties that support terrorism and the destruction of the Jewish State, through serious crimes including corruption, threats, violence, forgery and the use of prohibited software to mobilize voters.”

A few hours before Tuesday’s vote, police arrested three Bedouin residentsi, from the communities of Segev Shalom and Ar’ara BaNegev, suspected of attempting to bribe voters to vote for Ra’am. During the search of the homes, envelopes containing tens of thousands of shekels in cash, as well as ballot papers and other material were found and seized. The three were stopped hours before polls opened “far from polling stations”, the Central Election Commission said. The Arab party on Tuesday rejected “categorically attempts by elements within the police to link Ra’am to a compromise of electoral integrity”, stressing that the three suspects were not “in the vicinity of polling stations or voters”.