The head of Israel’s Central Elections Committee said on Sunday (November 1, 2026) that an ongoing investigation into alleged foreign funding in the country’s recent vote would not call into question its result, noting that so far “suspicions remain suspicions”.
Elections committee head and Supreme Court Justice Noam Sohlberg, flanked by the head of the Shin Bet and Israel’s attorney general, assured Israelis in a video message on Sunday (November 1, 2026) that “your choice at the ballot box will be respected” and that the elections “were conducted properly”.
Suspect released
The outlet reported that the judge had also criticised police for not bringing new evidence to support the extended detention of the suspect who was ordered to be released. An Israeli court, meanwhile, released a suspect arrested on election day over a separate case of suspected vote-buying for Raam, while extending the police custody of another and placing a third under house arrest, police said on Sunday (November 1, 2026).
The police had previously said that three people were arrested with envelopes and cash on suspicion of trying to buy votes for Raam, which denied any involvement with the case. The Times of Israel quoted Judge Eran Tzabari as saying he had ordered house arrest for the one suspect because of the “serious suspicions” he faced, though the case against him had not become stronger, and had “even weakened”, since his arrest.
“Until the investigation is concluded, a dark cloud hangs over the election results in Israel,” it said. Raam chief Mansour Abbas has denied the allegations of foreign funding, welcomed an investigation and said his party has “no connection whatsoever to the affair”.
