Sharp exchanges erupted across Israel's political map Tuesday evening over Shin Bet chief David Zini's request to question Arab party leaders on suspicion of foreign interference in the elections. Coalition parties accused Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara of blocking the probe. Gadi Eisenkot's camp accused Zini of politicizing the Shin Bet.
"Tonight's reports are an earthquake for Israeli democracy," Likud said in a statement. "According to the report, Baharav-Miara is blocking necessary investigations of Ahmad Tibi, Mansour Abbas, Sami Abu Shehadeh and another MK suspected in this serious affair. Another report said Miara is preventing the Shin Bet from using investigative tools for a security offense and wanted to hide from the public that this is a security offense. Baharav-Miara is working to whitewash and thwart the investigation of election contamination. This is what selective enforcement looks like. Justice Sohlberg and the Elections Committee are obligated to clarify the truth and provide answers to the public."
Abu Shehadeh, the Balad chairman, is not a sitting MK. He was disqualified from running in the elections.
Eisenkot said: "The servants of Israel's security system, law enforcement and public service are servants of the kingdom, not the king. Woe to anyone who corrupts his authority and role for political considerations. In their distress, the Likud and Netanyahu are trying to carry out a pogrom on democracy and the rule of law and drag us all into a dangerous constitutional crisis. In this difficult hour, they are trying to sabotage public trust in the election results. Citizens of Israel, stand firm."
The Religious Zionism party said: "If the Shin Bet chief indeed claims that Gali Baharav-Miara is thwarting an investigation that is at the heart of Israeli democracy, then this is an earthquake. Elections Committee chairman Justice Sohlberg must immediately order Baharav-Miara's removal from any involvement in the matter to ensure she does not contaminate the investigation as she did in the submarine affair investigation. The connection between terror organizations and an enemy entity to Arab Knesset members must be investigated to the end with the tools available to the Shin Bet."
Political commentator Amit Segal wrote: "The situation is intolerable: according to the attorney general, the head of Israel's secret service is asking to summon for questioning without cause the heads of the parties opposing the prime minister who appointed him. According to the Shin Bet chief, the attorney general appointed by today's opposition is preventing clarification of a foreign influence affair on the elections in a way that helps her sponsors. All the answers are disturbing, but at least let us know."
The Attorney General's Office rejected the accusations, saying that "in a state of law, citizens or elected officials cannot be investigated without evidence justifying it," and that "anyone who needs to be investigated will be investigated, but people will not be investigated without evidentiary basis." It added that the Shin Bet had not transferred the material it collected to the special investigation team for two days. That team was set up on Justice Sohlberg's recommendation, in cooperation with the police and accompanied by the prosecution, and the AG's office said the delay was holding up the handling of the case.
