Shin Bet Clarifies: Information in Qatar Affair Did Not Come from a Party

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According to Kan News, the Deputy Director-General of the Central Elections Committee said the investigation of suspected foreign influence in the elections will not affect the final results. According to Israel Hayom, an official in the Central Elections Committee said that even if the full extent of the suspicion the Shin Bet is examining proves to be true, at present it does not involve scales that could change the election results.

In an unusual statement, the Shin Bet said the information was gathered by the service itself and did not come from a political official. According to Walla, the organization stresses that the investigation has not yet concluded and that no blame should be cast on an entire sector. According to Kan News, the Shin Bet addressed the investigation for the first time, noting that the source of the information is collection carried out within the organization's mandate to detect foreign influence.

According to Haaretz, Netanyahu, Eisenkot and Lapid were updated on the information. According to Israel Hayom, the head of the Shin Bet personally updated the three party leaders. According to Channel 13 News, Lapid said there is no danger to or undermining of the election results, and Eisenkot said he would not allow a deviation from the swearing-in of the Knesset as planned.