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News · IsraelIsrael investigates whether a foreign country tried to influence its election
The head of the election committee asked the domestic security service to investigate whether foreign money tried to sway the vote. The press points to Qatar. Netanyahu alleges fraud, the police dismiss it, and no one has a majority.
Translated from the original Spanish article. Read in Spanish
News published on October 29, 2026. The situation may have changed since then.
Israel's election on Tuesday is still making headlines. The chairman of the Central Elections Committee, Judge Noam Sohlberg, asked the Shin Bet, the domestic security service, to investigate possible foreign interference in the vote.
What is suspected
His letter speaks of "serious suspicions" that foreign entities paid money to influence the election against Israel's interests. It names no country, but several Israeli media point to Qatar, which allegedly sent funds to influence the Arab vote.
Sohlberg said he cannot confirm the suspicions, but that they must be thoroughly investigated. He asked for the results within one week.
The Shin Bet is Israel's domestic security service, similar to an Israeli FBI.
The political fight
Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud speaks of a "serious blow to democracy" and says it has handed over evidence of fraud at Arab polling stations.
But the police rejected those claims of widespread fraud. And opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot asked that no one use the investigation to delay the formation of the new parliament.
President Isaac Herzog called for the allegations to be investigated, but warned against delegitimizing Arab voters, who turned out in historic numbers.
Where the results stand
With almost 93% of votes counted, Netanyahu's bloc has 53 seats, the opposition 48 and the Arab parties a record 19. 61 are needed to govern: none reaches that on its own.
To learn how the election went, read [what happened in Israel's election](israel-elecciones.html).
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Sources (in Spanish)
- La carta de Sohlberg y la reacción de Eisenkot: Times of Israel y The Tribune (29 de octubre de 2026).
- Sospechas sobre Catar: Calcalist.
- Herzog, Likud, policía y resultados: EFE vía Infobae y ThePrint.
Photos are from Wikimedia Commons under free licenses; the author and license are shown under each image.
