Bennett responds for the first time to 'Ra'amgate' – and sharply attacks Netanyahu

Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett responded for the first time to the 'Ra'amgate' affair, expressing confidence in the Shin Bet chief and the chairman of the Central Elections Committee, and sharply attacked Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for exploiting the affair to undermine public trust and for his ties with Qatar.

Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett responded on Thursday for the first time to the 'Ra'amgate' affair and the suspicions of foreign interference in the elections for the 26th Knesset. In a statement he published, Bennett expressed confidence in Shin Bet chief David Zini and the chairman of the Central Elections Committee, Judge Noam Sohlberg, and called on them to complete the investigation of the suspicions quickly. Alongside this, he sharply attacked Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, accusing him of attempting to exploit the affair to undermine public trust in the democratic process. Bennett focused a significant part of his response on Israel's ties with Qatar and the 'Qatargate' affair, accusing Netanyahu of double-dealing. He claimed that he repeatedly demanded that Netanyahu declare Qatar a hostile state, and that Netanyahu refused. Bennett accused Netanyahu of continuing to employ advisors in his office who, he claimed, received funds from Qatar. Bennett's response comes after the exposure by Channel 14 News last night in its main broadcast, which focused on suspicions of vote-buying in the Arab community. The article notes that the Likud party demanded a comprehensive investigation of the suspicions.