Suspected Ra'am vote bribery case transferred to Lahav 433 as Netanyahu calls for investigation
"There was nothing improper about the activists' conduct," the Ra'am party stated in response. "These are attempts by Ben-Gvir’s police force to suppress voting within Arab society."
Three residents of Segev Shalom and Ar’ara BaNegev were arrested on Tuesday in connection with an alleged bribery attempt to influence Arab voters to support the Ra am party ahead of Election Day. The suspects were apprehended in possession of envelopes containing cash and ballots for Mansour Abbas, according to Israeli media reports.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denounced the incident, urging right-wing voters to "go out and vote Mahal, vote Likud for the sake of our country!" The three were detained four hours before polls opened, not near polling stations or voters.
The Ra am party firmly rejected the allegations, stating that the accusations are baseless attempts to undermine the party and suppress voter turnout within Arab society, orchestrated by National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir for political gain. Attorney Din Livne, Acting Director General of the Central Elections Committee, confirmed that the suspects were caught in their vehicle, not near polling stations.
Police seized tens of thousands of shekels in cash and related items during searches of the suspects' homes, leading to their transfer to the Southern District’s Fraud Unit for questioning and potential court appearance.
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