Qatar has categorically dismissed accusations of meddling in Israel’s electoral affairs, labeling them as baseless fabrications.
Qatar has rejected allegations of interfering in Israel’s elections or funding attempts to sway the outcome on Thursday, dismissing them as a “disinformation campaign”. The denial comes amid an Israeli probe into suspected foreign funding, as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party accused Arab-led parties of electoral wrongdoing.
Dr Majed bin Mohammed Al-Ansari, adviser to Qatar’s prime minister and spokesperson for the foreign ministry, rejected the allegations, accusing Israeli politicians of using Doha as a “scapegoat for the political failures of certain Israeli politicians”, according to The Peninsula. In the social media post, Al-Ansari said Qatar had been accused of buying off Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the political left and, most recently, Arab voters. “If these claims were to be believed, Qatar would apparently own all of Israel,” he said, dismissing the allegations as “ridiculous and dangerous in equal measure”.
The denial came after Israel’s Central Elections Committee chairman, Supreme Court Justice Noam Sohlberg, asked Shin Bet chief David Zini to investigate suspicions of foreign funding aimed at influencing the election.
Israeli media reports alleged that Qatar had channelled funds to Arab organisations to mobilise voters and influence turnout. Some reports also pointed to Turkey as a possible source of funding. However, the allegations remain unproven, and the investigation is expected to establish whether foreign entities sought to influence Israel’s electoral process. The allegations have added to the political dispute following Israel’s election, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party accusing Arab-led parties of electoral wrongdoing.