Election Probe: Attorney-General Blocks Shin Bet Plan to Question Arab Leaders
Gali Baharav-Miara rejected Director David Zini's request to interrogate senior figures from Joint List and Ra'am, citing a lack of concrete evidence in the investigation into foreign influence.
By Luis Medina ·
Attorney-General Gali Baharav-Miara denied a request on Tuesday for Shin Bet Director David Zini to question senior lawmakers from Arab political parties. The decision halts a proposed step in an ongoing inquiry into potential foreign interference in the recent 26th Knesset elections. The Attorney-General's office stated that questioning citizens or elected officials without sufficient evidence is not permissible under the current legal framework.
The denial was issued via a public statement that the office described as highly unusual. Officials cited erroneous reports from Likud and other coalition factions as the reason for publishing the statement. Those reports accused Baharav-Miara of attempting to slow down the security agency's efforts to investigate the senior officials. The statement emphasized that Israel operates as a state governed by the rule of law.
According to reports from Maariv, Zini had sought to interrogate Ahmad Tibi of the Joint List. The request also included Mansour Abbas, the chairman of Ra'am, and Sami Abu Shehadeh, the chairman of Balad. One additional official was named in the request, though that individual's identity has not been made public. Central Elections Committee chairman Noam Sohlberg had previously approved Zini's plan to use technological and surveillance capabilities in this investigation.
The probe began after Sohlberg issued an initial directive. He cited severe suspicions regarding improper influence through foreign funding by entities acting against Israeli interests during the election period. The Attorney-General's office noted that the Shin Bet failed to transfer collected investigative materials to a special team over the past several days. The office argued that this failure effectively delayed the handling of the matter.
Mansour Abbas responded to the news by calling the reports of the investigation unacceptable. He characterized the move as an attempt to tarnish the image of the Arab public. Abbas stated that his party does not fear any investigation and is prepared to appear before law enforcement authorities. He emphasized that this would occur in accordance with the directives of the Attorney-General and the judicial system.
Abbas denied allegations reported on Thursday that he had previously suggested he backed an investigation into the matter. He called on state authorities to respect the will of voters and act with state responsibility toward all citizens. He urged officials to uphold the law and the established order of governance in this process.
Likud released a response later on Tuesday, accusing the Attorney-General of attempting to conceal the truth from citizens. The party claimed she is tying the hands of the Shin Bet and refusing to allow an investigation. This stance contrasts with the position of CEC Chair Sohlberg, who supports a thorough and comprehensive probe into the serious allegations. Likud described this as a recurring pattern of behavior by the Attorney-General.
The Prime Minister's party also claimed that opposition leaders Gadi Eisenkot and Yair Golan are engaging in incitement against the heads of Israel’s defense establishment. Likud stated that these leaders were emboldened by the Attorney-General's decision to reject Zini's request. The party said they must not allow the truth to be covered up and buried.
Yair Golan responded earlier on Tuesday by claiming Zini had turned the Shin Bet into a political tool. He stated this serves Netanyahu's campaign to undermine election results. Golan called the situation a grave warning sign and urged the heads of the Change bloc to understand the urgency of forming a new government. He suggested the next government would need to examine appointments made by Netanyahu, including Zini's.
National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir demanded that the Attorney-General be removed from her post. He described her decision as proof of the validity of his earlier demands. Ben-Gvir wrote that she tried to incriminate him and ordered the Shin Bet chief to act against him. He claimed she is contaminating the investigation and stated that the officials in question stole the elections.
