Photo: YONATAN SINDEL/FLASH90
Former Joint List leader Ayman Odeh is among the Arab party Knesset members suspected of receiving hundreds of thousands of shekels in foreign funding amid the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) investigation into alleged election interference, a Joint List spokesperson confirmed to The Jerusalem Post on Wednesday.
Odeh subsequently released a statement arguing that the investigation was politically motivated.
“The historic voter turnout among Arab citizens drove Netanyahu and the fascists out of their minds, and their fear of losing power is causing them to fire in every direction,” he stated.
“It is clear to everyone that this is political persecution, which will soon turn into an inflated balloon that will burst right in their faces. As we approach the date of the Knesset’s swearing-in and the end of Netanyahu’s rule, you will see more and more spins and lies.”
“The most important thing now is to continue acting responsibly, resolutely, and consistently to fundamentally replace this government,” Odeh added.
Statement comes as Likud challenges legitimacy of election results
The statement came amid an escalating political dispute over Arab voters’ role in the election outcome. Likud has challenged the legitimacy of the results, while the Shin Bet has sought to question senior Arab political figures.
The Joint List has accused Netanyahu and Shin Bet chief David Zini of treating Arab electoral participation and representation as a security threat.
Zini reportedly sought to also question Ra’am chairman Mansour Abbas, Ta’al chairman Ahmad Tibi and Balad chairman Sami Abu Shehadeh under caution as suspects.
The Central Elections Committee on Wednesday approved results giving Netanyahu’s coalition parties 53 seats, the opposition bloc 48, and the Arab parties 19. Neither of the two competing blocs secured the 61 seats needed for a Knesset majority.
Earlier on Wednesday, the committee said its review had found no irregularities or findings indicating that election integrity had been compromised or that the results would change. It said corrections had been made where necessary, based on voting records and materials.
Zini instructed to investigate suspicions of improper foreign funding
Last week, committee chairman Justice Noam Sohlberg instructed Zini to investigate suspicions of improper foreign funding and election bribery by foreign actors. Sohlberg stressed that he could not assess the merits of the suspicions and asked the agency to obtain evidence to substantiate or refute them.
A separate police investigation concerns alleged vote-buying for Ra’am. Police arrested three men on Election Day, October 27, saying searches had uncovered cash-filled envelopes and Ra’am ballot slips. Four more suspects were arrested two days later.
