Foreign interference suspicions don’t undermine election's integrity, CEC chief Sohlberg says

NOVEMBER 1, 2026 19:34Updated: NOVEMBER 1, 2026 19:57Central Elections Committee chairman Justice Noam Sohlberg said on Sunday that even if suspicions of foreign interference in last week’s Knesset election are substantiated, they do not affect the integrity of the vote or its outcome.“It is our position that, even if the suspicions are substantiated, this does not detract from the integrity of the election process or the election results as a whole,” Sohlberg said in a joint statement with the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) and the Attorney-General.“I would also like to clarify the following: nothing stated here is intended to cast aspersions on the voting of the Arab community," he added.Shin Bet starts investigatingThis comes following reports that the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) is investigating suspicions that a current Joint List member received thousands of shekels from Qatar, which were then used by the party during the election campaign.Israeli broadcaster i24NEWS first reported the matter on Sunday. The suspected member of the Joint List (comprising the Arab parties Hadash, Ta’al, and Balad) had not been named as of Sunday evening.Joint List party chairman Yousef Jabareen and supporters gather at the party’s election headquarters in the northern Israeli city of Nazareth, following the closing of polling stations on Israel’s general election night, October 27, 2026. (credit: Sharon Leibel/Flash90)Several possibilities about how the money was used are being examined, including general campaign financing and election bribery. Investigators noted they have no evidence of what the money was used for. It is also unclear what piece of evidence suggests that the funds originated from Qatar.The Shin Bet began investigating suspicions that foreign entities, potentially including Qatar and Turkey, funneled money into Israel to influence voting in Arab communities. Sohlberg called for the investigation to be opened on Thursday.Follow us on Google