Ayman Odeh named in inquiry into suspected foreign cash payments

MK Ayman Odeh is the senior politician at the center of an inquiry into whether he received hundreds of thousands of shekels in cash from a foreign source, i24NEWS learns.

On Tuesday night, i24NEWS reported that Shin Bet chief David Zini had sought authorization to investigate Ta’al chairman MK Ahmad Tibi, Ra’am chairman Mansour Abbas and Balad chairman Sami Abu Shehadeh, who was barred from running in the election, without presenting supporting evidence.

Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara requested evidence to justify those investigations before approving them. According to the report, none has been provided in those three cases. A written assessment was submitted only in the case of Odeh, whose identity has now been cleared for publication.

The Shin Bet and police have agreed to establish a joint investigative team. However, the Shin Bet has yet to hand over the relevant material to police, and the investigation has therefore not begun.

Zini’s requests to question Tibi, Abbas and Abu Shehadeh as suspects were made orally, without an explanation of the supporting evidence. In Odeh’s case, the written assessment set out the grounds for questioning him as a suspect, and there is agreement that such questioning is justified, according to the report.

Odeh rejected the allegations, describing the inquiry as political persecution.

“The historic turnout among Arab citizens has driven Netanyahu and the fascists out of their minds, and their fear of losing power is causing them to lash out in every direction,” he said.

“It is clear to everyone that this is political persecution—a balloon of inflated allegations that will soon burst in their faces. As we approach the swearing-in of the Knesset and the end of Netanyahu’s rule, you will see more and more spin and lies. The most important thing now is to continue acting responsibly, resolutely and consistently to bring about a fundamental change in government.”

His remarks came after the presidium of the Central Elections Committee approved the final election results earlier Wednesday. Right-wing parties had raised suspicions that payments were made to encourage voting among Arab citizens, following the Arab parties’ electoral success. Together, the parties won 19 seats.

The Shin Bet also informed committee members Wednesday of intelligence allegedly pointing to “widespread flows of large sums of money into Israel from foreign countries.”

According to the agency, the money came from actors with concealed—and, in some cases, hostile—interests seeking to exert foreign influence. It said the suspected activity involved thousands of people, potentially more.

The Shin Bet said further intelligence gathering and investigative work would be needed to establish the full scope of the suspected activity.