Shin Bet Chief: Election Probe Is 'Our Yom Kippur'
Internal friction grows as the intelligence agency scales up its investigation into alleged foreign funding of the October 27 vote.
By Kofi Costa ·
Shin Bet director David Zini described the agency's probe into alleged foreign election interference as a strategic disaster comparable to the 2023 Hamas attack and the 1973 Yom Kippur War. Speaking at a recent internal conference, Zini called the case "the greatest strategic terror attack in the country's history," according to Channel 12 reports.
The investigation targets three suspected channels through which hostile actors may have transferred money to influence the October 27 election. Investigators identified one route before the vote, citing solid evidence of the money's origin and destination. However, the amount involved in that specific channel was described as almost negligible. Two additional channels surfaced after the election, but they are supported by more limited evidence.
A law enforcement source familiar with the case told the network that the Shin Bet deployed capabilities that exceed the realm of reason given the available evidence. Sources within the agency said Zini believes serious events occurred and is moving resources in a disproportionate manner. They accused the director of throwing a tantrum and building a partial and misleading picture based on isolated intelligence fragments.
Zini attempted to transfer officers from the Palestinian arena to a special team investigating the allegations. The move failed because the team stated the additional personnel were unnecessary. On Thursday, Hebrew media reported that Shin Bet and police officials agreed to form a joint task force with the State Attorney's Office.
Central Elections Committee chairman Justice Noam Sohlberg announced this joint team on Sunday. He instructed Zini to investigate serious suspicions that foreign entities funded efforts to influence the vote. Despite the announcement, the task force has not yet convened. Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara accused the Shin Bet of withholding evidence.
The probe began after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party claimed the election was stolen by Arab parties. Likud cited bribery, intimidation, and forgery following a record Arab turnout that prevented Netanyahu's bloc from securing a parliamentary majority. Reports indicate the alleged funding came from Qatar or Turkey to encourage Arab voters.
Sohlberg has since criticized the stigmatization of Arab voters. He stated that the alleged interference would not have changed the election result. The real danger, he said, is the undermining of the election results.
