Likud believes Qatar, Turkey source of funds allegedly sent to Arab get-out-the-vote groups

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party believes that Qatar and Turkey are the sources of money allegedly sent to get-out-the-vote groups for Arab citizens that is under investigation by the Shin Bet, Hebrew language media reports.

The investigation is based on intelligence that reached the Shin Bet and was presented to Central Elections Committee head Supreme Court Justice Noam Solberg, Channel 12 reports.

The channels used to ostensibly send funds to the organizations closely resemble those used to send money for terrorism in the past, according to the reports.

This morning, Solberg instructed Shin Bet chief David Zini to open an investigation into “suspicions regarding foreign funding and suspicion of electoral bribery by foreign entities.”

On Tuesday, Zini said election day had proceeded “well so far,” adding that “voter turnout is high, and we can confidently tell the citizens of Israel that the elections are being monitored and conducted in a proper and inspiring manner.”

Hebrew media reported ahead of voting that Likud planned to challenge results from Arab locales and claim the election was “stolen” if Netanyahu did not win, with the party drawing up in advance a number of complaints and fraud allegations.

Earlier today, police dismissed Likud’s claims that the election was “stolen” by the Arab parties, saying there was “no supporting evidence.”