Police Seize Cash Before Knesset Vote
Officers detained three men in the Negev with ballots and tens of thousands of shekels four hours before polls opened.
By Abigail Brooks ·
Israeli police seized envelopes holding tens of thousands of shekels and ballots for Ra'am party leader Mansour Abbas from three men in the Negev region.
Officers arrested the three residents of Segev Shalom and Ar’ara BaNegev on suspicion of attempting to bribe voters on the eve of the Knesset election.
The arrests occurred four hours before polling stations opened, according to media reports. Police stated the men were detained away from nearby voting locations and not near arriving voters.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a statement on Tuesday confirming the suspects were in possession of cash envelopes and Abbas ballots. He called for a formal investigation into the incident.
Netanyahu urged right-wing and Likud supporters to vote, describing the event as an attempt to compromise election integrity.
Ra'am party officials rejected the narrative of improper conduct. They characterized the arrests as an effort by National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir’s police force to suppress voting within Arab society.
The three suspects were transferred to the Southern District’s Fraud Unit for questioning. Police seek a court order to extend their detention today.
Source: The Jerusalem Post
