Israel Orders Shin Bet Probe Into Suspected Foreign Funding Aimed at Boosting Arab Turnout

Central Elections Committee Chairman Justice Noam Sohlberg has instructed Shin Bet chief David Zini to investigate information about foreign funding allegedly meant to skew Israel's elections.

The inquiry focuses on suspicions that Arab entities channeled large sums of money in order to unlawfully increase voter turnout in the Arab sector.

In a directive on suspected foreign funding and election bribery, Sohlberg wrote: "Severe suspicions have been brought before me regarding improper influence through foreign funding by entities acting against Israeli interests during the elections." He added: "Therefore, I instruct you to do everything in your power to investigate the aforementioned allegations and to utilize the powers of the General Security Service to obtain evidence to substantiate or refute these suspicions."

Channel 13 published details of the Shin Bet's investigations into the matter, according to a report by Army Radio. The details include an examination of the channels that foreign sources used to transfer the funds.

Qatar and Turkey are named as possible sources of the money. Army Radio reported that investigators suspect the channels used to move funds for the purpose of election interference overlap with channels previously linked to terrorist organizations and funds, as well as to currency exchanges and branches located in hostile nations.

There have also been reports of the interception of envelopes stuffed with cash and voting slips for the Ra'am party.

The Shin Bet is expected to determine whether the money came from foreign entities or from sources inside Israel. The source report did not provide further detail on the findings so far, and the allegations remain suspicions that investigators have been asked to substantiate or refute.

Maariv Online contributed to the original report.