The Likud party on Wednesday evening formally accused the Haaretz newspaper of foreign interference in Israel's elections, escalating a political battle over an investigative report the party claims is false. Likud named Mohammed Dahlan, journalist Shlomi Eldar, Ruth Yuval, opposition leader Yair Golan, and the Democrats party as involved in what it says is a coordinated effort to influence the vote. The statement follows the party's earlier demand for a criminal investigation into the same matter, as The Zioneer reported.
The Likud party escalated its campaign against Haaretz on Wednesday evening, issuing a statement at 20:38 Jerusalem that formally accused the newspaper of foreign election interference and named an expanded list of alleged co-conspirators: Palestinian figure Mohammed Dahlan, journalist Shlomi Eldar, Ruth Yuval, opposition leader Yair Golan, and the Democrats party. The party described the effort as a coordinated attempt to influence the vote via a false investigative report.
The new statement follows a series of earlier Likud demands. At 19:14, Likud first called for a criminal investigation into Haaretz, Eldar, Golan, and the Democrats, alleging that Dahlan stood behind a false Haaretz report. In subsequent statements at the same time, the party added Ruth Yuval to the list and alleged that Eldar was paid by a left-wing NGO tied to Golan and that Golan and Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar made a secret visit to the UAE two months ago, suggesting foreign links. The Zioneer reported on the initial demand at 20:05.
The accusations are part of a broader pre-election confrontation. Likud has previously attacked opposition figures and media outlets, as The Zioneer has reported in recent weeks. The party has not provided independent evidence for any of its claims, and the allegations remain unsubstantiated. Haaretz and Golan have not yet responded to the latest accusations.
What remains open: The veracity of Likud's claims, including the alleged secret UAE visit and the financing scheme, has not been independently verified. No official confirmation has been provided by the Shin Bet or any other source.
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