Israeli Politicsupdated 1h ago3 min read
Shin Bet Finds No Evidence of Foreign Election Interference, Attorney General Says
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Shin Bet finds no evidence of foreign interference in recent elections. Investigators found no proof PA funds bought votes in the election.
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No Evidence, Ongoing Probe
Israel’s Shin Bet has failed to find evidence of foreign interference in last month’s elections, despite claims from Shin Bet chief David Zini and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Haaretz reported. Senior Israeli law enforcement officials told Haaretz investigators were examining “hundreds of thousands of shekels” allegedly transferred from the Palestinian Authority, but the investigation has found no evidence the money was used to buy votes. The investigation also found no transfers from Qatar or any other Arab country being investigated, even as Netanyahu’s Likud alleged money had been transferred to boost turnout among Palestinian citizens of Israel without providing tangible evidence.
Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara said she had seen no evidence from the investigation that would have influenced the election results or substantiate a claim of influence that could lead to a change in the election results, and Israeli police and Shin Bet were expected to submit assessments to her in the next few days. Dozens of people have been questioned, but no evidence has so far been found of money being transferred.
Who Could Be Questioned
Shin Bet Director David Zini sought to expand the investigation into suspected foreign funding and interference in the elections for the 26th Knesset by requesting questioning five Arab party leaders under caution as criminal suspects, i24NEWS reported. Zini’s request included Joint List chairman Yousef Jabareen, Ta’al chairman MK Ahmed Tibi, Ra’am chairman MK Mansour Abbas, Balad chairman Sami Abu Shehadeh, and outgoing Hadash chairman MK Ayman Odeh. Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara clarified a distinction between information concerning Odeh and suspicions raised regarding the other party leaders, and she agreed that sufficient grounds for reasonable suspicion justified questioning Odeh as a criminal suspect.
The Times of Israel reported that Baharav-Miara said she had not seen anything in the investigations of possible election fraud that would “even remotely” influence the outcome of last month’s vote. When an evidentiary basis exists, those who need to be questioned will be questioned, and State Attorney Amit Aisman said no citizen can be questioned without an evidentiary foundation.
Political Fallout and Next Steps
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his allies cast aspersions on the validity of the vote and claimed the election was “stolen” by Arab Israelis, while Yashar party leader Gadi Eisenkot accused those parties of exploiting the situation to illegitimately undermine trust in the election. Likud is preparing to appeal the results of the recent election, based on allegations that Arab political parties used electronic means of tracking voters to boost turnout in a manner banned by the High Court of Justice. National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir attacked police brass over handling of the election interference probe, accusing Boaz Balat of being “a fraud” and “a liar.”
Ben-Gvir told 103FM, “I think Boaz Balat is the attorney general’s emissary for closing cases, covering things up and sweeping them under the rug,” as the dispute widened between police, Shin Bet, and legal authorities. Israeli President Isaac Herzog tasked opposition politician Gadi Eisenkot with making the first attempt to form a government, possibly spelling the end of Netanyahu’s time as prime minister, after Palestinian citizens of Israel-led parties won 19 seats confirmed by Israel’s election authorities.