Right-wing demands to arrest and investigate Arab party leaders

In depth

Following the directive by the chair of the Central Elections Committee to the Shin Bet to investigate suspected election bribery and foreign funding in the Arab sector, Minister Itamar Ben Gvir called for the arrest of Arab party leaders.

Minister Bezalel Smotrich demanded that the Shin Bet question the Arab party leaders today. According to Arutz Sheva, Smotrich said, "The suspicion of tilting the elections with foreign Islamist money is a test case for the State of Israel."

Deputy Minister Almog Cohen called on the Shin Bet to summon Mansour Abbas, Yousef Jabareen and Ahmad Tibi for questioning, and demanded that the chair of the Central Elections Committee, Justice Noam Sohlberg, halt the vote count. According to Arutz Sheva, Cohen claimed that funds originating from terror organizations may have influenced the democratic process.