Shin Bet and Police Clash Over Israel Election Interference Probe

Tensions between Israel's Shin Bet security agency and law enforcement authorities escalated Wednesday over an investigation into suspected foreign interference in the elections to the 26th Knesset, with both sides accusing each other of obstructing the investigation.

Senior law enforcement officials allege that the Shin Bet, Israel's domestic security agency, has been withholding investigative materials from the National Fraud Investigations Unit, preventing police from advancing the case. Shin Bet officials, meanwhile, accuse legal authorities of imposing restrictions that are hindering efforts to investigate allegations of foreign funding and election interference.

According to senior Shin Bet officials, legal protections governing investigations involving elected officials are being extended to their associates, including parliamentary aides and others who may have information relevant to the case.

Israel's N12 news outlet quoted sources criticizing what they described as an excessively broad interpretation of those protections.

“Even the nephew of a Knesset member's cousin is a Knesset member — anyone who might incriminate a Knesset member,” the sources said, referring to what they claimed was the position of legal advisers.

The officials also alleged that police have so far refused to arrest suspects connected to the investigation, raising concerns about their ability to uncover the full extent of the alleged interference.

“How can we get to the truth in such a serious affair?” they asked.

Meanwhile, the Shin Bet informed the Central Elections Committee that intelligence in its possession points to possible transfers of substantial sums of money from foreign countries through individuals or organizations with undisclosed interests, some of which may be hostile to Israel.

According to the agency, the suspected influence operation could involve thousands of people, making further investigative measures necessary to determine whether foreign actors attempted to interfere in the election.

The dispute intensified following reports that Shin Bet Director David Zini had sought to question four senior figures associated with Arab political parties under caution, meaning they would be questioned as criminal suspects.

Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara rejected accusations that she was delaying the investigation, emphasizing that investigators must have sufficient evidence before questioning individuals as suspects.

“In a state governed by law, you cannot investigate citizens or elected officials without evidence that justifies it,” she said.

The growing disagreement comes as Israel's Central Elections Committee has completed its own extensive review of the election results, finding no evidence of irregularities that would undermine the integrity of the vote or change the outcome.

Central Elections Committee Chairman Supreme Court Justice Noam Sohlberg rejected calls to delay publication of the official results while the separate investigation continues.

“No one has any authority to withhold publication of the results,” Sohlberg said.

The results are expected to be formally presented to President Isaac Herzog later Wednesday, despite objections from the Otzma Yehudit party and the resignation of Likud lawmaker Amit Halevi from the Elections Committee over unresolved concerns.

Although the Elections Committee has approved the results following its review of the vote count, the separate investigation into suspected foreign interference remains unresolved.

The Shin Bet maintains that further investigative steps are needed to establish whether foreign actors attempted to influence the election, while legal authorities insist that any questioning of suspects must meet the required legal standards.