Just one day after receiving materials from the Shin Bet, the police claim that no basis has been found for the grave suspicions surrounding the ballot jihad affair. Police officials who reviewed the investigative materials held by the Shin Bet concluded that there is no foundation for the allegations presented by the security service regarding election bribery and ballot jihad. According to the police, the evidence suggests, at most, a potential violation concerning political party financing—rather than the broad national-security-related affair described by the Shin Bet. This assessment has been forwarded to the State Attorney’s Office and was formulated in coordination with the Attorney General, Gali Baharav-Miara.
This marks a dramatic development in a case that has shaken both the political establishment and the law enforcement system in recent weeks. While the Shin Bet had raised serious concerns regarding foreign funding and interference by hostile actors in Israel’s electoral process, the police now assert that an examination of the materials does not substantiate the scenario presented by the service. According to police officials, there is currently no evidentiary basis for the grave national-security-related suspicions; the only remaining potential issue concerns political party financing—a matter that may fall under the purview of the State Comptroller rather than necessarily requiring a criminal investigation. This indicates a significant gap between how the Shin Bet described the affair and the police’s preliminary conclusions following a review of the evidence. However, this assessment does not, in itself, constitute a final decision to close the case; the document has been forwarded to the State Attorney’s Office, and the next steps will be determined based on a legal ruling.
2+From Suspected Election Bribery to Allegations of Foreign Involvement
The affair began with suspicions of vote-buying during the elections, following a police raid on sites in Segev Shalom and the Azazme Bedouin diaspora in the Negev. During the operation, authorities seized envelopes containing thousands of shekels in cash, alongside Ra’am party ballots, voter lists, and envelopes bearing the logo of the Islamic Movement. Seven suspects were arrested following these discoveries.
The investigation subsequently expanded, with the Shin Bet and the Mossad becoming involved. The serious allegation presented was that millions of shekels—purportedly originating from foreign nations, including Qatar and Turkey—had been funneled through various financial channels with the intent of influencing the results of the 26th Knesset elections. The Shin Bet described a suspected large-scale influx of funds from entities with hidden—and potentially hostile—agendas, and also examined the possibility that political actors were involved in the affair. The Conflict Between the Police and the Shin Bet – and the Attorney General’s Ruling
Alongside the investigation itself, a sharp conflict arose between the Israel Police and the Shin Bet regarding the transfer of investigative materials and which body would lead the inquiry. The police claimed that the Shin Bet was delaying the handover of intelligence and evidentiary materials; the Shin Bet rejected these claims, stating that some of the materials had already been presented to the police and that the remainder would be provided subsequently.
2+On November 5, it was decided to establish a joint investigative team led by the Shin Bet, with the National Fraud Investigation Unit and the State Attorney’s Office providing oversight and guidance. The Shin Bet clarified its intention to lead the investigation, with the police serving in a supporting capacity. However, the dispute did not end there: the following day, the Head of the Police Investigations and Intelligence Division, Major General Boaz Blat, instructed his subordinates not to transfer materials to the Shin Bet or cooperate with its personnel without his authorization. The police argued that presenting a portion of the materials is not equivalent to handing over the complete investigation file, and that they had not received all the information necessary for an independent review.
The question of investigative authority also lay at the heart of the dispute. The Shin Bet sought to treat the affair as an incident with security implications—specifically, foreign influence on the elections—whereas the Attorney General ruled that citizens and elected officials should not be investigated without an adequate evidentiary basis. Sources within the Shin Bet argued that the restrictions imposed upon them limited their ability to utilize the investigative tools at their disposal, warning that this could hinder the effort to uncover the truth.
The Joint Statement – and the Discrepancy with the Legal Opinion
Even prior to this latest development—earlier this month—the Chairman of the Central Elections Committee, Justice Noam Sohlberg; the Head of the Shin Bet, David Zini; and the Attorney General, Gali Baharav-Miara, issued a joint public statement. Solberg clarified that the suspicions under investigation are serious, but emphasized that the evidence available at the time was insufficient to undermine the integrity of the elections or alter their results.
2+“Suspicions are just that—suspicions—and challenging election results requires solid evidence,” Solberg stated. He added that even if the suspicions were to be substantiated, this would not detract from the integrity of the electoral process or its overall outcome. He noted that the examination will continue with the utmost seriousness, conducted by a joint task force led by the Shin Bet, the Israel Police, and the State Attorney’s Office.
Subsequently, Baharav-Miara also addressed the matter, asserting that she is unaware of any evidentiary basis capable of affecting the election results. “Should any new or additional information be presented to us—information not previously disclosed—it will be examined and handled in accordance with the law,” she said. She further emphasized that decisions regarding whether to investigate an individual are made in a professional, objective, and equitable manner.
Now, following the receipt of materials from the Shin Bet and their subsequent review by the police, the preliminary assessment points to a scenario far more limited in scope than what was initially suggested when the affair first came to light. While the Shin Bet continues to view the allegations as a matter with security implications, the police maintain that there is no basis for the grave suspicions, suggesting instead that the matter may be limited to a specific issue regarding political party financing. The decision on how to proceed now rests with the State Attorney’s Office and legal counsel authorities.