Qatar's footprint in Israeli elections. The case will be investigated by the Shin Bet

According to Channel 12, the head of the Shin Bet, David Zini, provided the Central Election Commission with intelligence information described as "exceptionally serious."

Suspicions concern the transfer of significant sums of money from Qatar to organizations mobilizing Arab voters. Some of the funds were to flow through channels previously used to finance terrorism.

The head of the Commission, Noam Solberg, ordered to launch an investigation into suspicions of foreign campaign financing and electoral corruption. He demanded that the results of the investigation be presented within a week.

Likud also points to Turkey

According to Israeli media, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's ruling Likud party suspects that both Qatar and Türkiye could have been the source of the money. The allegations have not yet been confirmed.

Likud on Wednesday accused Arab parties of "stealing the election" through bribery, voter intimidation, fraud and using illegal software to mobilize voters. Israeli police say there is no evidence or intelligence to support them.

Counting votes in the final stretch

Almost 90 percent have been counted so far. votes after Tuesday's elections. Netanyahu's bloc can count on 53 seats in the 120-seat Knesset, and the opposition groups around former army chief of staff Gadi Ayzenkot on 48. Two Arab parties can win a record-breaking 19 seats in total.

61 seats are needed to obtain a parliamentary majority. There are still about 500,000 to be counted. votes cast in special double envelopes, including: by soldiers, diplomats and hospital patients. They may change the distribution of seats.