Probe into alleged foreign interference in elections

In depth

The chairman of the Central Elections Committee, Justice Noam Sohlberg, ordered the Shin Bet to investigate suspicions of foreign funding and Qatari influence on the elections. According to Kan News, the suspicions concern the transfer of funds to the Arab community in order to encourage voting. Shakuf reported that the Joint List party claimed that this is a timed campaign financed by Likud figures.

According to Channel 14, the General Security Service published that the head of the Shin Bet personally updated Netanyahu, Eisenkot and Lapid on the main points of the suspicions, and that no one other than Justice Sohlberg was exposed to the information outside the service until the end of the elections. The Zehut party demanded freezing the ratification of the election results until the Shin Bet's examination is completed. Deputy chairman of the Central Elections Committee, MK Vladimir Beliak, claimed that this is an attempt that was prepared in advance.

According to Israel Hayom, the political system is in uproar over the Shin Bet investigation, but the Elections Committee clarified that the results will not be annulled. President Isaac Herzog responded to the storm and stated that the election results are an established fact.