Israel’s security establishment is increasingly concerned that foreign adversaries may attempt to influence the country’s upcoming elections—not by tampering with ballots, but by shaping public opinion through sophisticated online campaigns, cyberattacks, and disinformation.

During a closed Knesset briefing on Monday, Shin Bet Director David Zini warned lawmakers that Iran is the primary foreign actor seeking to interfere in Israel’s electoral process. According to Israeli media reports, Russia and China were also discussed as potential sources of influence operations, while other reports have also mentioned Turkey. Although the intelligence details remain classified, officials say the methods employed by these countries have become increasingly well understood.

Rather than attempting to alter vote counts, security officials say the greater threat lies in manipulating public discourse. Foreign intelligence services can create fake social media accounts posing as ordinary Israelis, publish inflammatory content aimed at both the political right and left, amplify conspiracy theories, and promote divisive narratives designed to deepen existing societal tensions.

Iran has previously been accused of operating networks of fake Hebrew-language accounts and creating online personas that appeared to represent grassroots Israeli activists. These campaigns have allegedly encouraged protests, spread false information, and even attempted to recruit Israelis for seemingly harmless tasks that later escalated into intelligence-gathering activities.

Russia has long been linked to large-scale influence campaigns around the world, using fake news websites, bot networks, and manipulated content to erode public trust in democratic institutions. China, meanwhile, has been associated with quieter but highly organized influence efforts that rely on artificial intelligence, fake online identities, and targeted messaging to shape public opinion and advance Beijing’s strategic interests.

Israeli officials are particularly concerned about the growing capabilities of artificial intelligence. AI-generated videos, fabricated audio recordings of political candidates, fake party announcements, and manipulated footage could spread rapidly online during the final days of a campaign. Even if quickly debunked, such content can reach hundreds of thousands of voters before corrections gain traction.

Cyber threats also remain a major concern. Attackers could target political campaigns, journalists, and election officials through phishing attacks, data theft, or social media account takeovers. Officials warn that disrupting election-related systems or spreading false claims of hacking could undermine public confidence even if no votes are actually altered.

Authorities are also watching for covert foreign funding of political messaging through nonprofits, online advertisements, influencers, or intermediary organizations that conceal the true source of financial support.

At the same time, security officials caution that not every controversial post or heated political debate is the result of a foreign operation. Determining foreign involvement requires evidence such as technical infrastructure, financial links, or intelligence indicating coordinated activity.

The concerns come as a recent report by Israel’s State Comptroller found that, as of March 2026, Israel still lacked a comprehensive national strategy for countering foreign influence campaigns in the digital sphere and had no single government body responsible for coordinating the response.

With the Shin Bet now identifying election interference as one of the country’s most pressing security challenges, officials say the battle extends far beyond protecting ballot boxes. It is also about safeguarding public trust, preserving confidence in democratic institutions, and ensuring that Israel’s political debate is shaped by its citizens—not by hostile foreign governments.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)