WorldPosted at: Oct 29 2026 7:48PM


Israel Central Election Committee chairman asks internal security agency Shin Bet to investigate foreign interference in elections

Jerusalem, Oct 29 (UNI) Israel's Central Elections Committee chairman, Supreme Court Justice Noam Sohlberg, has asked the domestic security agency, Shin Bet, to investigate what he described as "serious suspicions" of foreign interference in Tuesday's election, with Hebrew media reporting allegations that Qatar channelled funds to influence Arab voters.
In a letter to Shin Bet chief David Zini dated Wednesday, Sohlberg said he had received information suggesting that foreign entities acting against Israeli interests may have improperly influenced the election through funding.
"While I cannot attest to the substance of these suspicions, it is my view that — given they involve foreign entities — there is an obligation to investigate them thoroughly," he wrote.
Sohlberg instructed Zini to use the agency's powers to establish whether evidence supported or disproved the allegations and requested findings within a week.
Reports by Channel 12 and Ynet said the information had been provided to Sohlberg by the Shin Bet. An unnamed security official told Kan News that the investigation had been opened within the past two weeks based on intelligence information.
"We understand that there is something problematic, and we are investigating it seriously to fully extract all the information," the official said, adding that more details were expected to emerge in the coming days.
Hebrew media reports, citing security and election officials, said investigators suspected Qatar of attempting to influence Arab voter turnout by sending significant sums to Arab organisations through potentially illegal channels.
According to Channel 12, the alleged funding methods resembled those previously used to transfer money for terrorism, though the allegations have not been substantiated publicly.
The reports said the Shin Bet had monitored the information for several days before informing Sohlberg after the suspected activity was allegedly carried out.
The investigation comes as near-final election results show Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's bloc winning 53 seats in the 120-member Knesset, against 48 for the opposition bloc led by Gadi Eisenkot. The predominantly Arab parties, Ra'am and the Joint List, are projected to secure a combined 19 seats, a record high. A majority requires 61 seats.
The possibility that Arab parties could play a decisive role in government formation has intensified political tensions.
Netanyahu's Likud party and other coalition figures have alleged electoral wrongdoing, while opposition leaders have called for a thorough investigation but warned against using unverified suspicions to manipulate the outcome.
Sohlberg's request appeared to concern possible foreign influence behind the scenes rather than established irregularities in the voting process itself.
On election day, Shin Bet chief Zini had said the vote was being monitored and conducted properly. Israel Police Commissioner Danny Levy said today that complaints and suspicions of election-related offences would be investigated impartially.
"We will not allow anyone to harm the purity of the elections and the democratic process," Levy said, adding that police would pursue evidence and bring those responsible for offences to justice.
The allegations have also renewed scrutiny of claims made by Likud after polls closed on Tuesday. The party said the election had been "stolen by Arab parties" and called for an investigation into alleged fraud, including claims of illegal voter-mobilisation software.
Three Ra'am activists were arrested on election day over alleged bribery, while four more were arrested today morning on suspicion of involvement in the same case. Ra'am has denied the allegations. It was not immediately clear whether the arrests were connected to the broader foreign-interference investigation.
Shortly before news of Sohlberg's letter emerged, a police source rejected claims of widespread voter fraud, saying election day had passed with very few irregular incidents involving electoral integrity compared with previous elections.
"There is no investigative- or intelligence-based supporting evidence for the claims," the source said.
Likud responded to the new investigation by warning of what it called an attempted "Islamization of Israel" and urging Zionist parties not to co-operate with Ra'am or the Joint List. The party described the alleged foreign involvement as an attack on democracy and claimed it was intended to influence the Knesset and undermine right-wing rule.
However, Likud did not explicitly name Qatar in its statement, despite the reports in Hebrew media. The prime minister's office has faced separate scrutiny over allegations that several of Netanyahu's close aides received millions of shekels for public-relations work for Qatar while working in the office.
Eisenkot, whose Yashar party is the largest opposition party with 21 seats, called for any credible allegations of interference to be investigated but warned against using the probe to delay the new parliament's inauguration.
"Israel must do everything in its power to safeguard the integrity of the elections against any attempt at interference, spin or manipulation, and thoroughly investigate every complaint," he said.
"At the same time, political actors must not be allowed to exploit the situation to influence the date of the swearing-in of the 26th Knesset."
The new Knesset is expected to be sworn in on November 20. The investigation is unfolding as both major blocs remain short of a parliamentary majority and negotiations over the formation of the next government loom.
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