Shin Bet Chief Compares Foreign Funding Scandal to October 7 Failure, Calls It Israel’s Greatest Strategic Attack

Shin Bet director Dovid Zini has compared suspicions of massive foreign financial interference in Israel’s recent elections to the intelligence and security failures of October 7, describing the alleged operation as the most serious strategic attack in the country’s history.

The extraordinary remarks were delivered during a closed gathering of Shin Bet personnel and revealed Thursday evening by Channel 12 News, amid an escalating dispute between Zini and Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara over the investigation into suspected foreign efforts to influence the election results.

“I view the money that entered here during the elections in the same way as the failure of October 7. This is our Yom Kippur. This is the greatest strategic attack in the history of the state,” Zini reportedly told those attending the internal meeting.

His comments reflect the seriousness with which Israel’s domestic intelligence agency is treating allegations that hostile foreign interests funneled substantial sums into the country in an effort to influence the political process.

According to Channel 12, Zini informed Central Elections Committee chairman Justice Noam Sohlberg that foreign and hostile elements may have transferred as much as 100 million shekels into Israel in connection with the elections.

Zini reportedly expressed frustration that despite intelligence gathered by the Shin Bet, authorities had not authorized the questioning of even one suspect in the affair.

The dispute has placed the Shin Bet chief at odds with Baharav-Miara and other legal officials, who have insisted that investigators must establish an adequate evidentiary foundation before proceeding with interrogations, particularly when elected officials may be involved.

Law enforcement representatives have countered Zini’s criticism by maintaining that the Shin Bet has not provided all the necessary intelligence materials and supporting evidence required to authorize the proposed investigative measures.

Earlier Thursday, the Shin Bet issued a public statement acknowledging suspicions that money originating in foreign countries had been directed toward influencing Israel’s elections. The agency said additional intelligence work and investigative steps were necessary to determine the extent of the suspected activity.

The allegations have surfaced at an especially sensitive moment, with Israel’s political parties negotiating the formation of a new government following the elections and President Isaac Herzog completing consultations over which candidate should receive the mandate to assemble a coalition.

The allegations of foreign election interference remain under investigation and have not been established as fact. Justice Sohlberg has also clarified that even if the suspicions are ultimately substantiated, they would not provide grounds for altering the election results.

Additional reporting Thursday indicated that the investigation had begun moving forward, with the Shin Bet starting to transfer intelligence materials to a special investigative team that includes police representatives. The information was being delivered in stages as investigators sought to establish whether the suspected funding could be connected to specific individuals or criminal offenses.

The investigation has also focused on allegations that voters in Arab communities were offered cash or fuel vouchers in exchange for their votes, potentially using money originating outside Israel, including through the Palestinian Authority. Authorities have not established the full extent of the alleged activity or whether particular political figures were involved.

Zini and Baharav-Miara met Wednesday in an effort to resolve their disagreement over investigative procedures. Despite the tensions, the two sides reportedly reached an understanding on how to continue examining the allegations.

The Shin Bet chief has also reportedly acknowledged that the intelligence gathered thus far does not establish that the overall election outcome was affected, even as he continues to demand a thorough investigation of the suspected foreign funding.