Israel’s Election Chief: Foreign Interference Probe Will Not Undermine Election Results

Israel’s Central Elections Committee chairman, Supreme Court Justice Noam Sohlberg, said Sunday that the investigation into suspected foreign interference in last week’s parliamentary election would not delay the publication of the official results, stressing that the allegations currently under examination do not call the overall integrity of the vote into question.

Speaking in a joint public statement alongside Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara and Shin Bet chief David Zini, Sohlberg sought to draw a clear distinction between serious suspicions that require investigation and evidence that could justify challenging the election results.

“Serious suspicions have recently emerged that require examination, involving funding from foreign sources intended to influence the electoral process, and which may have a security dimension,” Sohlberg said.

He said that, following the information presented to him, he had instructed the Shin Bet to investigate the allegations in accordance with the law.

“Suspicions are suspicions,” he emphasized. “Solid evidence is required in order to challenge election results.”

‘The claim that the results could be overturned is incorrect’

Sohlberg directly addressed claims that the suspected foreign involvement could invalidate the election as a whole.

“The claim that the evidence currently before us could undermine the election results in their entirety is incorrect,” he said.

He went further, stating that even if the suspicions were ultimately substantiated, this would not detract from the integrity of the electoral process or the overall results.

“Israeli citizens went to the polls last Tuesday in record numbers. They expressed their views, and those views will be respected,” he said.

The statement was intended to reassure the public that the investigation would proceed without disrupting the formal electoral process. The official results are expected to be published and submitted to President Isaac Herzog as scheduled.

Sohlberg rejects doubts about Arab voters

The election committee chairman also addressed the controversy surrounding the high turnout in Arab communities and allegations that foreign funding may have been used to influence participation.

“There is nothing in what I have said that should cast doubt on the voting of Arab society,” Sohlberg stressed.

“Citizens who went out to vote exercised their democratic right. Broad participation in elections is a welcome development in Arab society, just as it is in every community in Israel.”

His remarks came amid political accusations and public debate over the role of Arab voters in the election and reports of possible foreign involvement. Sohlberg did not identify the alleged foreign sources or disclose details of the intelligence material, explaining that the investigation remains classified.

Investigation and election process to continue in parallel

By appearing alongside the attorney general and the Shin Bet chief, Sohlberg underscored that the message reflected a joint position among the senior officials involved.

The investigation will continue, and the authorities are expected to examine the suspicions thoroughly. At the same time, the remaining stages of the election process will proceed according to schedule.

The central message from Sohlberg was that allegations of foreign interference must be investigated, but should not be treated as proof that the election was compromised.

For now, he said, the available evidence provides no basis for questioning the election results as a whole.