Israel AG dismisses election fraud claims amid foreign probe
Gali Baharav-Miara stated that current evidence does not threaten last month's Knesset vote results, despite ongoing investigations into foreign funding.
By Zoe Harrison ·
Attorney-General Gali Baharav-Miara rejected allegations of fraud in the recent Knesset election on Sunday, stating that no existing evidence is close enough to alter the final outcome. She made these remarks at the Justice Ministry's annual conference in Eilat while officials continue probing suspected foreign interference in the vote.
"I am not aware of any evidentiary basis that comes even close to being able to affect the election results, or to support a claim of influence that could lead to a change in the results," Baharav-Miara said. She added that her office would examine any new information presented in accordance with the law.
The Attorney-General emphasized that investigative decisions are made on professional grounds rather than political or demographic lines. "When there is an evidentiary basis, whoever needs to be investigated will be investigated. This is not a matter of right or left. It is not a matter of Jew or Arab," she said.
Baharav-Miara noted that Central Elections Committee chairman Justice Noam Sohlberg is overseeing the matter with responsibility. Her comments align with Sohlberg's statement last week that substantiated foreign interference would not undermine the election's integrity. A joint team from the Shin Bet, police, and prosecution is currently investigating suspicions of foreign funding intended to influence voters.
Political parties have disputed the validity of the vote. Likud claimed that Arab parties stole the election, though police said available information did not support that allegation. Last week, Otzma Yehudit accused Baharav-Miara and the Shin Bet legal adviser of applying improper pressure on Shin Bet chief David Zini to halt the investigation.
