Shin Bet chief seeks to question Arab party leaders in election interference case - report

Shin Bet chief David Zini has asked Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara to approve questioning four senior Arab politicians as suspects in an election interference case, i24NEWS learns.

The four are Ta’al chairman MK Ahmad Tibi, Ra’am chairman Mansour Abbas, Balad chairman Sami Abu Shehadeh and another senior Knesset member whose identity cannot be published. Abu Shehadeh was disqualified from running in the elections.

The requests concerning three of the politicians were made orally, without supporting evidence. Only the request concerning the unnamed lawmaker included a written opinion explaining the grounds for questioning. There is agreement that questioning him under caution is justified.

The investigation has yet to begin. Although officials agreed to establish a joint Shin Bet–police team, the Shin Bet had not transferred its investigative materials two days later.

Likud called the reports “an earthquake for Israeli democracy” and accused Baharav-Miara of blocking investigations into the four politicians.

The party also alleged that she had prevented the Shin Bet from using investigative measures available in security cases and sought to conceal the case’s security aspects.

Accusing Baharav-Miara of selective enforcement, Likud called on Justice Noam Sohlberg and the Central Elections Committee to uncover the facts and provide answers to the public.

Ra’am chairman Mansour Abbas rejected what he described as an attempt to discredit the Arab public and pledged full cooperation with law enforcement.

“The attempt to tarnish the Arab public is unacceptable. Neither I nor any of my colleagues in Ra’am fear any investigation,” he said.

Abbas said his party would cooperate in accordance with the directives of the attorney general and judiciary, describing those institutions as guided by the law rather than political interests.

He also urged state authorities to respect voters’ will, act responsibly toward all citizens and uphold the law.

Responding to what her office described as erroneous reports, Israel’s Attorney General Baharav-Miara said citizens and elected officials could not be questioned without evidence justifying the move.

“Anyone who needs to be interrogated will be interrogated; however, individuals will not be subjected to interrogation in the absence of an evidentiary basis,” her office said.

The statement invited the Shin Bet or any other body with evidence warranting questioning to present it.

Her office also said the Shin Bet had failed for two days to transfer collected materials to the special investigative team, delaying the inquiry. The team was established on Sohlberg’s recommendation, in cooperation with police and under the guidance of the State Attorney’s Office.