Doha slams Netanyahu bloc over election interference claims

Qatar rejected allegations from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party that it interfered in Israel’s recent elections. The accusations followed high voter turnout among Palestinian citizens during the October 27 vote.

According to a report by the Times of Israel, the Shin Bet intelligence agency is currently investigating funding sources for groups that encouraged Palestinian voting. Doha is the primary focus of these inquiries. Israeli police have dismissed the interference narrative, stating there is no evidence the election was stolen.

Majed Al Ansari, a spokesperson for the Qatari foreign ministry, addressed the claims in a statement posted on X. He described the accusations as both ridiculous and dangerous. Ansari argued that the repeated focus on Qatar reveals an excessive obsession among certain Israeli political and media figures.

He warned that Qatar should not serve as a scapegoat for the political failures of specific Israeli politicians. Al Ansari added that the accusations would not stop Doha from continuing its mediation, diplomatic, and humanitarian efforts.

Palestinian-backed parties, organized into two separate slates, won 19 seats in the election. This result positions them as potential kingmakers in coalition talks. Neither Netanyahu nor opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot has secured the 61 seats required for a parliamentary majority.

The lack of a clear winner has prompted Palestinian parties to offer support for an opposition-led minority government. They aim to prevent Netanyahu from returning to power. However, key figures in the opposition have rejected the idea of governing alongside Arab parties.