Ayman Odeh Investigated Over Foreign Cash Payments

MK Ayman Odeh is under investigation on suspicion of receiving hundreds of thousands of shekels in cash from a foreign source. The affair first came to light on Sunday in an i24NEWS report, which said a Knesset member from the Joint List had received the cash but did not name him.

The payments have raised suspicions of bribery and money laundering. So far nothing shows that the money was spent buying votes in the race for the 26th Knesset. There is also no evidence the funds came from Qatar. It is still unknown whether the money served the election campaign or some other purpose.

The investigation is expected to take considerable time. The official election results are due during the coming week.

Avigdor Liberman, chairman of Yisrael Beiteinu, said on Monday that the foreign entity suspected of sending money to the Joint List was the Palestinian Authority. In Lieberman's account, the Authority was involved with Ra'am and the Joint List and steered both parties. He said the election should not be canceled. He argued, however, that the Authority's involvement had led to radicalization.

The cash report emerged alongside two separate investigations into suspected improper influence on the recent elections. The first concerns alleged election bribery in the Bedouin community in the Negev. Activists affiliated with Ra'am are suspected of handing out fuel cards and other benefits to sway how people voted. The second is a Shin Bet investigation into suspected foreign interference in the campaign.

Last Thursday, Justice Noam Sohlberg, chairman of the Central Elections Committee, contacted Shin Bet Director David Zini. Sohlberg acted on intelligence pointing to suspected foreign funding meant to improperly influence the elections, and he asked Zini to look into it. Early reports centered on money allegedly moving from Qatar to people working to raise turnout among Arab voters. Later reports said the Shin Bet was also examining whether other countries were involved.

The Shin Bet received its first intelligence before the elections. A covert investigation then opened under the supervision of the Attorney General. As the picture grew clearer, the Prime Minister and the elections committee chairman were briefed. The agency stressed that the information came from its own work to detect foreign interference and not from any party or politician. It also said the investigation is narrowly focused and should not be read as casting suspicion on the Arab community as a whole.

Odeh has faced a Knesset challenge before. An effort to expel Odeh from the Knesset over his wartime statements fell short, with 73 votes against the required 90. In May, former MK Yousef Jabareen was elected to replace Odeh as Hadash leader. Odeh had led the party since 2015 and did not seek reelection.