WorldPosted at: Oct 29 2026 9:56PM


Shin Bet says its election probe does not target Arab community, Qatar denies allegations of interference

Jerusalem/Doha, Oct 29 (UNI) Israel's internal security agency, the Shin Bet, has said its investigation into suspected election fraud does not accuse the Arab community of wrongdoing, amid allegations of foreign interference linked to high voter turnout among Arab voters.
The agency said the suspicions emerged from intelligence it had gathered on foreign influence, rather than information supplied by any political party or actor. Apart from Central Elections Committee chairman Justice Noam Sohlberg, no one outside the agency had access to the information before voting concluded.
The investigation remains ongoing, and the Shin Bet said statements about the content or nature of the suspicions did not necessarily reflect its position. Once the inquiry is complete, the findings will be presented to Sohlberg, who is authorised to make decisions on the matter.
Amid allegations that Qatar had channelled significant funds into Israel to influence the Arab vote, the Shin Bet stressed that its inquiry was "focused and limited in scope" and did not cast suspicion on an entire community that had voted legally and democratically.
"Only those who acted in violation of the law will be dealt with," the agency said, adding that it was operating within its legal mandate, with its professional personnel and legal advisers overseeing the investigation.
Qatar's foreign ministry spokesman, Majed al-Ansari, rejected allegations by Israeli politicians and media contacts that Doha had interfered in the election or funded activities intended to influence the result, calling them ridiculous.
"We categorically deny allegations that Qatar has interfered in Israeli elections or funded any activities intended to influence their outcome," al-Ansari said in a post on X.
"They accuse Qatar of buying off Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli political left and now, in this latest campaign, the Arab vote... These accusations are ridiculous and dangerous in equal measure," he added.
The Shin Bet also confirmed that its chief, David Zini, had met Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Yashar party leader Gadi Eisenkot and opposition leader Yair Lapid over the previous day to brief them on the main suspicions under investigation. The meetings took place with Sohlberg's approval and at his request.
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