Shin Bet Finds No Evidence of Major Foreign Election Interference

Israel’s internal security service, the Shin Bet, has failed to uncover evidence that foreign powers significantly influenced the recent national election, according to senior law enforcement officials. The finding contradicts claims by Likud and far-right allies who have alleged the vote was stolen. Haaretz reported the details on Monday, noting that the investigation has not produced proof to support the initial suspicions of widespread interference.

Shin Bet Director David Zini led the inquiry. Earlier reports indicated he suspected a foreign state, widely identified as Qatar, may have transferred up to 100 million shekels, roughly 35 million dollars, to boost support for Arab parties. However, current investigators are examining a much smaller potential transfer of a few hundred thousand shekels. This new line of inquiry suggests the money may have originated from the Palestinian Authority rather than a foreign government. Questioning dozens of individuals has so far yielded no evidence confirming this specific allegation.

Senior officials expressed skepticism about the criminal nature of the case. One official, speaking to Haaretz, described the matter as outside the typical scope of security operations and doubted it constituted a criminal offense. Another official characterized the available intelligence as lacking a solid foundation. They noted that only Director Zini continued to believe the matter was moving toward a criminal investigation. Both officials said they did not expect anyone to face formal questioning unless new suspicions emerged.

The Shin Bet and Israel Police plan to propose further steps to Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara in the coming days. On Monday, Baharav-Miara stated that nothing seen in the investigations could affect the outcome of the October vote. Supreme Court Deputy President Noam Sohlberg, who chairs the Central Elections Committee, has similarly argued that any alleged fraud would be too limited to change the results, even if the accusations were proven true.

Political tensions persist despite the security findings. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his allies have continued to question the vote's legitimacy, accusing Arab Israelis of stealing the election. Likud's lawyer told The Times of Israel on Saturday that the party is preparing to contest some or all of the results. The planned legal challenge relies on allegations that Arab parties increased turnout using electronic voter tracking methods previously prohibited by the High Court of Justice.

Gadi Eisenkot, leader of the Yashar party and the figure tasked with forming a government, accused the parties challenging the vote of using the investigation to erode public confidence. Senior law enforcement officials have also reportedly claimed that political motives influenced how Director Zini handled the inquiry.