Giants Sufferer ✡︎

The Shin Bet security agency says the information on the suspected voter fraud during Israel's national election originated from intelligence it collected regarding foreign influence, and not from "any political party or political actor on either side of the political map." The Shin Bet says that aside from Central Elections Committee chair Justice Noam Sohlberg, no one outside the security agency had access to the information in question until the elections concluded. The Shin Bet says it has not yet completed its investigation into the matter, and that "any statements concerning the content or nature of the suspicions do not reflect the agency's position." Upon the completion of the investigation, the Shin Bet says it will present the findings to Sohlberg, "who is the authorized decision-maker on this matter." The Shin Bet says it is only operating under its legal mandate, and all activities are being conducted by the agency's professional personnel and legal advisers. Amid claims that Qatar had sent significant funds to Israel to influence the Arab vote, where turnout was notably high on Tuesday, the Shin Bet says that the investigation is "focused and limited in scope, and does not cast aspersions on or accuse an entire sector that went out to vote democratically and legally." "Only those who acted in violation of the law will be dealt with," the agency says. Additionally, the agency confirms that Shin Bet chief David Zini met over the past day with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Yashar party leader Gadi Eisenkot, and opposition leader Yair Lapid to personally brief them on the main suspicions under investigation. The Shin Bet says the meetings were with the approval and at the request of Sohlberg.