Shin Bet chief David Zini has declined to assume responsibility for monitoring domestic efforts to influence Israel’s upcoming election through technological means, asserting that such tasks fall outside the agency’s legal mandate. Instead, Israel Police will be charged with addressing these concerns, despite questions about their technological capacity to handle the challenge.

Israeli officials have identified online influence operations involving fake accounts—including those operated by Israeli nationals—as a significant threat to the integrity of the October 27 election. In recent weeks, senior figures within the Shin Bet, Israel Police, and the Justice Ministry have debated which body should oversee these domestic influence attempts. Advocates for Shin Bet involvement pointed to the agency’s mandate to protect democracy and its advanced technological resources.

However, Shin Bet leadership has maintained that under current law, the agency is not authorized to intervene regarding “domestic actors.” Legislation defining Shin Bet responsibilities assigns the agency to prevent illegal activities aimed at harming state security or democratic institutions, but agency officials interpret this remit as excluding Israeli-based influence operations.

A senior law enforcement official criticized the Shin Bet’s position, stating that the agency “has completely shirked their responsibility,” describing election-related influence operations as a traditional area of Shin Bet oversight. Given this stance, the police have assumed responsibility for tracking online influence efforts by Israeli actors and have recently engaged several technology companies seeking assistance.

The Shin Bet will concentrate its monitoring and countermeasures on influence attempts by foreign entities such as Iran and Russia, which are also considered threats to the electoral process.

Central Elections Committee chairman and Supreme Court Deputy President Noam Sohlberg highlighted the vulnerabilities facing Israel’s democratic system. He acknowledged the potential impact of foreign interference and cautioned against both external and internal actors who aim to sow discord and division. Sohlberg also expressed concern over false messaging disseminated via fake accounts affiliated with Israeli political figures and underscored the importance of transparency in election campaigning.

The Shin Bet did not provide comment on the issue when approached.