The head of Israel's Central Elections Committee stated on Sunday that an ongoing investigation into alleged foreign funding during the recent election will not invalidate the results, emphasizing that suspicions currently remain just that.
The Shin Bet security agency initiated the inquiry last week at the election chief's request to ascertain if the Arab Israeli party Raam received funding from Qatar, a claim vehemently denied by both the Gulf state and the party. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his Likud party have since repeatedly accused Arab political factions of having "stolen" the election, which saw unprecedented gains for these parties and potentially positioned them to be kingmakers in forming an opposition-led government.
Supreme Court Justice Noam Sohlberg, who chairs the Elections Committee, addressed these concerns in a video message alongside the head of the Shin Bet and Israel's attorney general. He assured the public that "your choice at the ballot box will be respected" and that the elections for the 26th Knesset were conducted properly. Sohlberg acknowledged that if any irregularities exist, they are under review, but reiterated that "suspicions remain suspicions."
He added that the investigation would be thorough, aiming to uncover the complete truth. "Our position is that even if the suspicions are ultimately confirmed, this would not call into question the integrity of the electoral process or the overall results of the elections," Sohlberg declared.
Netanyahu's allegations of electoral misconduct by Arab parties commenced on election day, following a campaign in which he had portrayed them as a national threat. This strategy paradoxically contributed to a significant increase in voter turnout among Israel's Arab minority. Raam's leader, Mansour Abbas, has refuted the foreign funding allegations, stating his party has "no connection whatsoever to the affair" and welcomed the investigation. Qatar has dismissed the accusations as "ridiculous and dangerous."
Sohlberg also stressed that the review of these allegations, which will continue with utmost seriousness, should not cast doubt on the votes cast by the Arab community. He affirmed that all citizens who participated in the election exercised their democratic rights and that high voter turnout is a positive development across all segments of Israeli society.
