Investigation ordered, allegations unproven
Central Elections Committee Chairman Justice Noam Sohlberg instructed Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) director David Zini to investigate suspected foreign funding and vote-buying intended to influence the October 27 election. He sought findings, if any, within one week, accounting for election-appeal and final-results deadlines.
Sohlberg expressly said he could not attest to the suspicions’ substance and ordered evidence sought to substantiate or disprove them. Channel 12 reported that Zini presented information described as “exceptionally grave” about foreign money allegedly increasing Arab Israeli turnout through illegal means.
Channel 12’s Amit Segal reported suspected Muslim Brotherhood-associated money and transfers from Qatar and Turkey through terrorist-financing channels. N12’s Yaron Avraham separately reported suspected Qatari funding through routes previously used for terrorist funds. These remained allegations.
The Shin Bet said its intelligence concerned foreign influence and came from no political party or actor. Sohlberg alone outside the agency had access before the elections concluded. The inquiry remained unfinished, and the agency said public statements about the suspicions’ content or nature did not reflect its position.
The agency stressed that its inquiry was “focused and limited in scope, and does not cast aspersions on or accuse an entire sector that went out to vote democratically and legally.”
It said only lawbreakers would be dealt with, its professional personnel and legal advisers were operating under its legal mandate, and findings would go to Sohlberg as the authorized decision-maker.
Zini briefed Netanyahu, Eisenkot and Lapid with Sohlberg’s approval and at his request.
Accusations, denials and demands
Likud alleged an unprecedented attack on democracy aimed at a foreign takeover of the Knesset, Islamization of Israel and removal of right-wing rule to bring about withdrawal and the IDF’s defeat, particularly against Iran.
It demanded immediate investigations and opposed Zionist parties cooperating with Ra’am or the Joint List, including to replace the Knesset speaker using allegedly purchased votes.
Smotrich called for Arab-party leaders to be investigated. Yaakov Asher and Shas accused opponents of hypocrisy for labeling ultra-Orthodox and right-wing parties draft dodgers while facing suspicions of vote-buying funded by enemy states. These were political accusations, not findings.
Qatar denied interference or funding to influence the results, accusing Israeli politicians and media figures of disinformation and scapegoating.
Mansour Abbas welcomed the investigation, denied Ra’am’s involvement in this or other affairs and pledged cooperation. Yoav Segalovitz urged swift investigation and described the party’s success as a call for Jewish-Arab partnership. Herzog urged thorough examination of the evidence and suspicions.
Whether the results should be halted
Feiglin sought a freeze pending findings and snap elections if results were compromised.
After meeting Zini and speaking with Sohlberg’s representatives, Lapid said his knowledge of the information, with the agreement of the authorities handling it, gave no reason to question the results or obstruct the Knesset’s swearing-in.
Eisenkot demanded an immediate, unbiased investigation and firm action against anyone found to have undermined election integrity. He also accused Netanyahu and his allies of exploiting unexamined information to delay results and delegitimize the 26th Knesset.
“I will not allow even a one-centimeter deviation from the scheduled swearing-in of the Knesset,” Eisenkot said.
His teams were preparing legislation for its opening, and he pledged to pursue a new government.
