Israel's top election official says suspicions of foreign funding aimed at swaying last week's election will not change the outcome. Justice Noam Sohlberg, chairman of the Central Elections Committee, made the remarks in a joint appearance with Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara and Shin Bet chief David Zini. His message was blunt: suspicions are suspicions, and challenging election results takes solid evidence. He added that even if the suspicions turn out to be true, the integrity of the electoral process would not be damaged, and the official results will go to the president on Wednesday.

The Shin Bet is investigating the funding allegations covertly, and the probe became public after Sohlberg sent a letter asking Zini to look into them. Sohlberg stressed that nothing in the investigation is meant to cast doubt on the vote of Arab society, and told voters their ballots were counted and their decisions will be respected. His conclusion has not gone unchallenged, since the Likud party sharply criticized his position that the results would stand even if the allegations were proven. Big questions remain unanswered, including who the foreign actors might be, how much money was involved, and what the Shin Bet will ultimately find.