Israel police say they will not allow "purity of election to be undermined", assure full investigation of alleged fraud

Jerusalem, Israel: The Israel Police on Thursday announced that it will guard the purity of the elections with the utmost vigilance. The announcement came after the Israel Elections Committee Chair ordered Shin Bet to investigate allegations of foreign funding of the polls. 

"Every complaint received and every suspicion of an offense related to the purity of the elections will be examined and investigated thoroughly and without bias. We will not allow anyone to undermine the purity of the elections and the democratic process. For every suspicion of an offense, the Israel Police will act resolutely to investigate the truth and bring the involved parties to justice, without exception," Police Chief Deputy Commissioner Danny Levy said. The police also announced arrests on suspicion linked to the probe.

"Following the arrest of three suspects from the south on the morning of Election Day on suspicion of election bribery, and the decision to transfer the investigation file to Lahav 433 - during the morning, four men were arrested for questioning on suspicion of their involvement, and they are being interrogated at this hour at the unit's offices," the Police said.

The decision of the Israel Election Committee to order an investigation into allegations of foreign funding into Tuesday's poll has created a political snowstorm in Jerusalem.

Likud Party boss and incumbent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the decision as an 'earthquake' and called on Zionist parties to reject any tie-up with Arab Parties.

Sharing a statement of his party Netanyahu posted, "The Ra'amgate affair is an earthquake. They stole the elections in Israel! The judge Solberg's statements about the involvement of foreign entities that interfered and bribed voters in favour of the Arab parties are an unprecedented shock. This is an attack on democracy whose purpose is to lead to a foreign takeover of the Knesset, the Islamization of Israel, and the overthrow of right-wing rule in order to lead to retreat and defeat of the IDF in all arenas - and primarily Iran. After it was revealed that foreign entities tried to take over the Knesset, it is clear that no Zionist party should cooperate with Ra'am and the Joint List, replace the Knesset Speaker through votes bought for cash, and form a government that is dangerous to Israel. We demand to act immediately and with all means available to the Shin Bet and the police to investigate these crimes."

After the committee’s decision, Israel's incumbent Finance Minister and Chairman of the Religious Zionism Party Bezalel Smotrich called for interrogation of the heads of the Arab parties.

Smotrich who is a key player in the Likud led coalition said, "The suspicion of election interference with foreign Islamist money is a litmus test for the State of Israel. The heads of the Arab parties must be interrogated by the Shin Bet today. The State of Israel will not be sold to radical Islam with terrorist money."

Incumbent Minister of National Security and Chairman of Otzma Yehudit, Itamar Ben Gvir echoed that calling for the arrest of the Arab party bosses and alleging involvement of money from Qatar.

"The Shin Bet must order, already this morning, the arrest of the heads of the Arab parties suspected of involvement in Qatari money, and of all other suspects in the affair, including figures in the Muslim Brotherhood and its offshoots, insofar as there is a legal basis for their arrest," he said.

The call to action follows Israeli Central Elections Committee Chair Justice Noam Sohlberg asking Shin Bet chief David Zini to investigate allegations of foreign interference in Tuesday’s election.

“Serious suspicions have been brought to my attention regarding improper influence on the elections — exerted through funding provided by foreign entities acting against Israeli interests. While I cannot attest to the substance of these suspicions, it is my view that — given they involve foreign entities — there is an obligation to investigate them thoroughly,” Sohlberg wrote in his letter to Shin Bet according to Israeli media.

“In light of this, I instruct you to do everything in your power to investigate these suspicions, utilizing the authority of the Shin Bet to uncover evidence that either substantiates or refutes them. Only in this way can we ensure public trust in the electoral process and the integrity of the democratic procedure,” he added.

Sohlberg has asked Shin Bet to present the findings of the investigation within a week.

The order to investigate allegations of foreign funding with links to Arab parties is likely to strike a body blow to a possibility of them joining hands with the Eisenkot led bloc to form a government. What that means is that government formation is now poised on a knife's edge and whoever President Herzog invites to form the government will have his hands full. (ANI)