‘Scapegoat for political failures’: Qatar rejects Israeli election interference claims

Qatar has rejected allegations of interfering in Israel’s elections or funding attempts to sway the outcome on Thursday, dismissing them as a "disinformation campaign". The denial comes amid an Israeli probe into suspected foreign funding, as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party accused Arab-led parties of electoral wrongdoing.According to The Peninsula, Dr Majed bin Mohammed Al-Ansari, adviser to Qatar’s prime minister and spokesperson for the foreign ministry, rejected the allegations, accusing Israeli politicians of using Doha as a “scapegoat for the political failures of certain Israeli politicians”.In the social media post, Al-Ansari said Qatar had been accused of buying off Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the political left and, most recently, Arab voters. “If these claims were to be believed, Qatar would apparently own all of Israel,” he said, dismissing the allegations as “ridiculous and dangerous in equal measure”.Al-Ansari said Qatar had no involvement in Israel’s political or electoral competition and would not accept attempts to draw it into domestic disputes. He accused certain Israeli politicians and media figures of using the allegations to divert attention from internal political failures, reiterating that the claims would not change Doha’s diplomatic priorities.The denial came after Israel’s Central Elections Committee chairman, Supreme Court Justice Noam Sohlberg, asked Shin Bet chief David Zini to investigate suspicions of foreign funding aimed at influencing the election.In a letter dated October 28, Sohlberg referred to “serious suspicions” of improper electoral influence through funding from foreign entities allegedly acting against Israeli interests and sought a report on the findings within a week.Israeli media reports alleged that Qatar had channelled funds to Arab organisations to mobilise voters and influence turnout. Some reports also pointed to Turkey as a possible source of funding. However, the allegations remain unproven, and the investigation is expected to establish whether foreign entities sought to influence Israel’s electoral process.The allegations have added to the political dispute following Israel’s election, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party accusing Arab-led parties of electoral wrongdoing.You use AI every day. Now get your AI Quotient. Take the AIQ test.