Arab-Israeli alliance calls election probe 'political persecution'

Israel's largest Arab-Israeli political bloc, the Joint List, denounced what it called "political persecution" on Wednesday after one of its lawmakers was accused of accepting foreign money ahead of last week's election, which saw record Arab voter turnout. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has alleged foreign interference in the October 27 vote, claiming "serious suspicions" that foreign states spent significant sums to influence the outcome. The Joint List said the targeting of lawmaker Ayman Odeh is an attempt to delegitimize the Arab public's vote, accusing Netanyahu of clinging to power after Arab citizens voted overwhelmingly against his government. Odeh faces investigation over claims he received hundreds of thousands of shekels from an unspecified foreign entity, though the Central Elections Committee found no evidence questioning the results' integrity. Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara denied a Shin Bet request to interrogate other Arab party leaders without evidence, while opposition leaders accused Netanyahu's camp of abusing power.