Israeli Police Find Little Evidence to Support Shin Bet Probe Into Foreign Election Interference

Analysis
Police have now reviewed the Shin Bet material and found it supports neither election-financing nor security offenses, a shift from the November 4 impasse over Zini's undelivered file. Israeli authorities will likely announce or confirm the closure of the examination of the Shin Bet's foreign election-interference file, with no criminal investigation opened, by December 31, 2026. Confidence is low because the Attorney General has issued no decision and police stopped short of ending the examination. Six reports across Israeli outlets agree, but only four are primary, so the corroboration is broad while the original reporting is thin. The police position removes the evidentiary basis for security questioning of Arab lawmakers and weakens Netanyahu's claim that the vote was stolen. Deputy Commissioner Balat's restriction on Shin Bet requests shows police limiting the agency's reach. The Attorney General may instead keep a narrowed examination open for months, a low-cost way to avoid appearing to bury the Shin Bet's claims, which would push formal closure past December. Closure would free investigators and spare Arab party leaders questioning, while an open file keeps pressure on Eisenkot's coalition negotiations and sustains Netanyahu's fraud narrative. New Shin Bet material on polling-station irregularities is the main indicator that could keep the file open.