Likud demands probe: suspicion of "foreign interference" to advance Eisenkot government

Likud has turned to the chairman of the Central Elections Committee, demanding that the Shin Bet be involved in investigating a suspicion of foreign interference, following a report about contacts between diplomatic representatives of friendly countries and Haredi figures to advance an Eisenkot government. The letter, sent by attorney Ilan Bombach, relies on a report in Israel Hayom and presents no verified findings.

Likud turned urgently on Wednesday evening to the chairman of the Central Elections Committee, Justice Noam Sohlberg, demanding that the Shin Bet be involved in investigating a suspicion of foreign interference in the election system. The approach follows a report in Israel Hayom according to which diplomatic representatives of countries friendly to Israel contacted Haredi political figures to find out whether they would support Gadi Eisenkot and the formation of a government headed by him. The letter was sent by attorney Ilan Bombach on behalf of Likud, and it relies solely on the journalistic report. The letter claims that planned activity by foreign countries to influence the composition of the government exceeds accepted diplomatic activity and harms the democratic process. However, the approach does not state which countries are involved, who the representatives who contacted the Haredim were, or with whom exactly the talks took place. Likewise, no independent findings verifying the report were presented, and the letter does not raise a claim that Eisenkot himself was involved in the contacts. At this stage this is a suspicion that Likud is asking to have examined, and not a verified finding.