Qatar has denied allegations that it interfered in Israel’s elections or funded activities intended to influence the outcome, amid accusations by Benjamin Netanyahu and his allies.
Qatar’s Foreign Ministry Spokesperson, Majed al-Ansari, rejected what he described as accusations made by certain Israeli politicians and their media contacts, insisting that Doha had no role in influencing the vote.
“We categorically deny allegations that Qatar has interfered in Israeli elections or funded any activities intended to influence their outcome.
“They accuse Qatar of buying off Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli political left and now, in this latest campaign, the Arab vote… These accusations are ridiculous and dangerous in equal measure.”
Majed al-Ansari
The denial came amid growing political tensions following allegations of electoral fraud involving parties representing Palestinian citizens of Israel. Netanyahu’s Likud party has accused the parties of “stealing” the election and claimed, without providing evidence, that they received funding from Qatar.
Netanyahu and members of his coalition have referred the parties to Shin Bet, Israel’s domestic security service, for investigation.
Israel’s far-right National Security Minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, called for the arrest of leaders of Arab political parties over the allegations of foreign funding.
In a post on X, Ben-Gvir stated that Shin Bet “must order, as early as this morning, the arrest of the leaders of the Arab parties suspected of involvement with Qatari funds.” He did not provide further details in the statement.
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich also urged Shin Bet to interrogate the leaders of parties representing Palestinian citizens of Israel, arguing that the allegations raise questions about the integrity of the electoral process.
“The suspicion of election manipulation using foreign Islamist money is a litmus test for the State of Israel. The heads of the Arab parties must be interrogated by the Shin Bet today.”
Bezalel Smotrich
Leaders Reject Allegations
The allegations have drawn criticism from opposition figures, who say they risk undermining confidence in the election and casting suspicion on Palestinian citizens who participated in the vote.
Mansour Abbas, leader of the moderate Islamist Ra’am party, rejected allegations linking his party to electoral wrongdoing and welcomed an investigation into the matter. “Ra’am has no connection whatsoever to the affair in question or to any other affairs, and we declare that we will fully cooperate with all law enforcement authorities to uncover the truth,” Abbas said, according to a Spokesperson for the party.
Yair Golan, leader of the centre-left Democrats party, accused Netanyahu of attempting to undermine the election results by targeting Arab political parties.
“Netanyahu suffered a crushing democratic defeat. The public fired him, and he refuses to accept the verdict of the voters.
“Now he is trying to undermine the election results through an ugly delegitimisation campaign against the will of the public, and against the Arab public in particular.”
Yair Golan
Golan, however, noted that any credible concerns about electoral integrity should be investigated. “Any genuine suspicion of damage to the integrity of the elections must be investigated to the end,” he added.
Herzog Urges Thorough Investigation
Meanwhile, Israeli President, Isaac Herzog called for a thorough investigation while cautioning against blaming an entire community for the allegations.
Herzog disclosed that he had spoken with the heads of the Central Elections Committee and Shin Bet about suspicions of foreign interference in Tuesday’s vote. “I am closely following developments in the investigation into the suspicions reported this morning,” he said in remarks published by Israeli media.
He stressed that the allegations should not be used to discredit Palestinian citizens who exercised their democratic rights. “But even at a moment like this, we must avoid tarnishing an entire community that sought to exercise its right to vote and take an active part in democracy,” Herzog said.
With coalition negotiations approaching, Herzog urged political leaders to reconsider their positions and prioritise the country’s interests.
“Once the official results are in, I will meet with representatives of all the political groups.
“I say this to everyone here – to the public and its leaders – ahead of next week’s consultations: keep an open mind, keep an open heart and broaden your perspective. There is only one question that should be at the forefront of your minds: what is in the best interests of the country?”
Isaac Herzog
The competing statements have intensified the political dispute over the election, with Qatar denying involvement, Arab party leaders rejecting the allegations and Israeli officials calling for an investigation.
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