Shin Bet probes Qatari cash claims
Security agency examines if a Joint List lawmaker used smuggled funds for the recent campaign.
By Sakura Novak ·
The Israel Security Agency, known as the Shin Bet, has opened an investigation into a current member of the Joint List party. Officials suspect the lawmaker received thousands of shekels from Qatar. The funds allegedly served the party during the election campaign.
Israeli broadcaster i24NEWS broke the story on Sunday. As of Sunday afternoon, the specific member of the Joint List under suspicion remained unnamed. Investigators are weighing several theories about how the money was spent. These possibilities range from general campaign financing to direct election bribery.
At this early stage, investigators noted they lack concrete evidence on exactly how the funds were deployed. It is also unclear what specific evidence indicates the money originated in Qatar. The probe fits into a wider review of whether foreign entities, including Qatar and Turkey, moved money into Israel to sway votes in Arab communities.
Central Elections Committee chairman Justice Noam Sohlberg called for this specific investigation to begin on Thursday. However, N12 News reported that the Shin Bet possessed intelligence on these potential illegal transfers before the election. The agency did not share that information with the committee or Justice Sohlberg at the time.
In a related development, police rejected a broader claim by the Likud party that the election was stolen. In a statement on Thursday morning, police said Election Day saw relatively few integrity incidents. They stated they had no investigative or intelligence support for the allegations presented to them.
Qatar responded to the controversy last week by denying interference in the process. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed al-Ansari wrote on X/Twitter that the country categorically denies funding activities to influence the outcome. He accused certain Israeli politicians and media contacts of pulling Qatar into domestic disputes.
National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir described the allegations as extremely grave. He called for the imprisonment of any Knesset member proven involved in the scheme. Ben-Gvir urged for new elections to be held quickly if the suspected bribery is confirmed.
