Israel Investigates Suspected Foreign Election Interference as Netanyahu, Eisenkot Remain ...

A combination picture shows Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Meitar, Israel, Jan. 28, 2026, and Israeli opposition leader and former military chief, Gadi Eisenkot, near Hod Hasharon, Israel, June 30, 2026. Photo: REUTERS/Amir Cohen

Israel’s domestic security agency, the Shin Bet, has opened an investigation into suspected foreign election interference as a deadlocked vote leaves Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot vying for power amid political uncertainty.

Central Elections Committee chair Noam Sohlberg, who also serves as deputy president of the Israeli Supreme Court, formally requested that Shin Bet chief David Zini investigate suspicions of foreign financing and attempts to influence voter turnout, particularly in Arab communities, with Qatar and Turkey reportedly among the countries under scrutiny.

Sohlberg gave the Shin Bet one week to submit its findings so authorities can assess any evidence of foreign interference before the legal deadlines for finalizing the election results pass.

“Given that the suspicions involve foreign entities, they must be investigated to safeguard the integrity of Knesset [Israel’s parliamentary] elections and prevent illegal activities intended to undermine the democratic order,” Sohlberg wrote in an official letter to Zini dated Wednesday, according to Israeli media.

“Only through such an investigation can we ensure public confidence in the electoral process and uphold the integrity of democracy,” he added.

The Shin Bet addressed the probe on Thursday, when Hebrew media first revealed Sohlberg’s letter.

“The information in question originated from the collection carried out by the Shin Bet by virtue of its legal designation, with regard to the detection of foreign influence, and does not come from any party or political entity on the political map,” the internal security service said. “With the exception of Justice Sohlberg, no party outside the service was exposed to the information in question until the end of the elections.”

While the Shin Bet clarified that its investigation was “limited in scope,” an unnamed security official told the Kan public broadcaster that the probe, opened in the past two weeks, was “based on solid intelligence information.” The official added, “We understand that there is something problematic … In the coming days, things will become clear.”

Netanyahu’s right-wing Likud party issued a statement accusing Arab parties of “stealing the elections,” alleging that foreign countries had paid “coordinators” to bring voters to the polls.

“This is an attack on democracy designed to pave the way for a foreign takeover of the Knesset, the Islamization of Israel, and the toppling of the right-wing government, ultimately forcing the IDF [Israel Defense Forces] to withdraw and suffer defeat on all fronts, especially in Iran,” the statement read.

Arab voter turnout hit an all-time record of approximately 80% during Tuesday’s election.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog welcomed the investigation, stressing the importance of protecting the integrity of the electoral process while cautioning against stigmatizing voters exercising their democratic rights.

“The integrity of the elections is a fundamental value, and these allegations must be investigated thoroughly. Those responsible must be held accountable and punished to the fullest extent of the law,” the Israeli leader said in a statement. “However, we must not cast blame on an entire community that sought to exercise its right to vote and participate in the democratic process.”

Eisenkot, a former military chief and Netanyahu’s main electoral rival, warned that any decisions concerning the election results must be approached with the utmost caution, stressing that the 26th Knesset must be inaugurated on schedule.

“Foreign interference in the State of Israel is unacceptable and extremely serious, particularly when it involves a country that finances and supports the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas,” he said in a statement. “Anyone found to have compromised or attempted to compromise the integrity of the elections must face the full force of the law.”

Qatar has vehemently rejected such accusations, dismissing them as “false propaganda” intended to drag the country’s name into Israel’s domestic political dispute.

“These accusations are absurd and dangerous. The repeated references to Qatar in Israeli election rhetoric reveal an exaggerated obsession with our country among certain Israeli political and media figures,” a Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesperson said in a statement.

“Qatar should not be made a scapegoat for the political failures of certain Israeli politicians. Rather than deflecting from their own shortcomings, they should focus on their own voters, improve people’s daily lives, and address the damage they have caused across the region,” the statement continued.

Israel’s Channel 12 reported that at least two other countries are under suspicion of trying to interfere in the elections. Some reports have named Turkey as another possible sources of the suspected funding, in addition to Qatar.

As political uncertainty deepens, Israeli intelligence officials have reportedly indicated that even if the allegations of foreign election interference are substantiated, their impact would not be significant enough to alter the election results.

The acting director general of the Central Elections Committee, Dean Livneh, said that there is “no basis for the allegations of systematic damage to the integrity of the elections.”

However, according to a report by The Telegraph , Iran had also sought to interfere in Israel’s vote, with its latest efforts targeting the US midterm elections in an attempt to deepen political divisions in both countries.

Thursday’s final vote count confirmed the political deadlock, with Netanyahu’s right-wing bloc securing 53 seats, Eisenkot’s opposition bloc winning 48, and Arab parties taking 19 in the 120-member Knesset. Likud emerged as Israel’s largest single party, securing 27 seats alone, followed by Eisenkot’s Yashar party with 21 seats.

Even though Netanyahu and his allies combined to finish ahead of their rivals, they fell short of the seats needed to form a government, leaving neither major bloc with the 61-seat majority required to govern and setting the stage for potentially weeks of political maneuvering.

The inconclusive result leaves Israel facing a difficult coalition-building process and raises the possibility of another election, likely in the spring, if political leaders fail to reach an agreement.

Netanyahu could seek support from opposition lawmakers or attempt to persuade Eisenkot to join a broad unity government. However, Eisenkot and other opposition leaders have repeatedly ruled out serving under Netanyahu.

Eisenkot, meanwhile, could attempt to establish a minority government with outside support from Arab lawmakers. Divisions within the opposition remain a major obstacle, though, particularly given the refusal of many leaders within the bloc to support a government dependent on Arab parties.

There are a range of other options involving lawmakers crossing political lines, in many cases going against promises they made during the campaign, to build a coalition of at least 61 seats.

Netanyahu remains prime minister for the time being.

Herzog, who will be responsible for selecting a candidate to form the government, urged political leaders on Wednesday to prevent another round of elections.

The Israeli leader also praised the unusually high voter turnout, calling it a “badge of honor for Israeli society” and evidence of Israelis’ commitment to democracy.

According to the Central Elections Committee, an astounding 77.7 percent of eligible voters — or 5,695,682 Israelis — had cast their ballots by 10 pm on Tuesday, the highest turnout recorded since 1999.