Israel’s largest Arab-Israeli bloc denounced political persecution on Wednesday after an outgoing lawmaker faced allegations of accepting foreign funds ahead of the October 27 national election, which saw record turnout among Arab citizens.
Joint List Defends Outgoing Lawmaker Ayman Odeh
The Joint List, a coalition comprising three Arab-Israeli parties, issued a statement defending Ayman Odeh, a veteran politician and former leader of the left-wing party Hadash. Israeli media reports indicated Odeh is slated for investigation as part of a probe into alleged foreign election interference pushed by Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party.
According to the Joint List, "The targeting of Ayman Odeh is political persecution, and we will not allow the Arab public’s vote to be delegitimised." The coalition added that "Netanyahu is clinging to power and refusing to acknowledge the will of Arab citizens who voted overwhelmingly against his government."
Netanyahu Accuses Foreign States of Trying to Sway Ballots
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu doubled down on those accusations during a video address delivered in front of an Israeli flag and the slogan "Prime Minister’s Office". He asserted that serious suspicions pointed to foreign states spending considerable sums to sway the outcome of the ballot. The premier and his far-right allies have targeted Arab-Israeli politicians, a bloc that could potentially position main opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot in the top seat if the factions unite.
Shin Bet Examines Funds Received by Odeh
Unidentified officials cited in Israeli media reports alleged that the Shin Bet, the internal security agency, was examining whether Odeh received hundreds of thousands of shekels—roughly amounting to $100,000—from an unspecified foreign entity. The controversy follows Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara’s decision on Tuesday to deny a Shin Bet request to interrogate other Arab party leaders without supporting evidence, a move that drew anger from Netanyahu’s allies.
Polling Audit Clears Results as President Urges Unity
Netanyahu also referenced localized incidents on election day involving individuals arrested with envelopes of cash, accusing Arab leaders of accepting money from Qatar—an allegation previously directed at Netanyahu’s own aides. Meanwhile, the Central Elections Committee stated that an audit of 9,069 polling stations yielded no evidence undermining the integrity of the results. Israel’s President Herzog accepted the certified election results and urged compromise to form a government.
Golan Accuses Governing Camp of Abusing Executive Power
Opposition figures condemned the actions of the governing camp. Yair Golan, a left-wing leader within the main opposition alliance, accused Netanyahu’s allies of abusing executive power. Golan pointed to the arrests of political activists without court warrants, attempts by the Shin Bet to question senior elected officials without evidence, and the outgoing government’s refusal to recognize the election results. His remarks echoed the arrest late Tuesday of Abed Abu Shehadeh, an Arab-Israeli journalist related to politician Sami Abu Shehadeh, who was detained on charges of contacting a foreign agent according to the legal rights group Adalah.
