Bardugo Claims Three Senior Shin Bet Officials Obstructed Election Probe

Political commentator Yaakov Bardugo claimed Monday morning that three senior Shin Bet officials are obstructing efforts to expand the investigation into suspected foreign interference in Israel's 26th Knesset elections.

Speaking with Sharon Gal, Bardugo alleged that some of the officials involved were appointed during the tenure of former Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar. He also criticized Central Elections Committee Chairman Justice Noam Sohlberg for stating that the suspicions uncovered so far do not justify questioning the election results as a whole.

“These are tainted elections. How can you determine that it had no effect on the results before the investigation is over?” Bardugo asked.

He referred to reports by journalists Roi Yanovsky and Moti Castel, saying he had independently checked and verified their details. According to Bardugo, the reports indicate that senior Shin Bet officials intervened in the handling of the investigation.

“According to Yanovsky's report, three senior Shin Bet officials did not allow the investigation to be expanded. Let's find out who they are. Who are these three?” he said.

Bardugo specifically mentioned the Shin Bet's legal adviser and the head of its investigations division, both of whom he said were appointed by Ronen Bar. He alleged that they were involved in efforts to prevent the investigation from expanding. He also referred to a third senior official whose identity he said he did not know.

The allegations follow a Channel 14 report claiming that Shin Bet chief David Zini raised concerns with Sohlberg over obstacles allegedly imposed by the agency's legal adviser during an investigation into suspected election interference in Israel's Arab sector.

The report further alleged that the Shin Bet's legal adviser was acting in coordination with Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara and that certain investigative measures had been prevented from being carried out in real time.

Responding to the report, the Shin Bet stated: “We will not comment on what is said in closed discussions.”

On Sunday evening, Sohlberg confirmed that serious suspicions had emerged involving foreign funding allegedly intended to influence Israel's election campaign.

He announced that a joint investigative team comprising the Shin Bet, Israel Police, and the State Attorney's Office would examine the allegations.

However, Sohlberg emphasized that the evidence currently available does not justify challenging the election results as a whole. He stressed that the suspicions remain unproven and that the investigation will continue until the facts are established.