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Qatar has firmly denied allegations that it interfered in Israel's elections or funded any activity aimed at influencing the vote. Foreign Ministry spokesman Majid al-Ansari said Israeli politicians and media figures had launched a new disinformation campaign to drag Qatar into the country's political rivalries.

The denial came after Israeli parties representing Palestinian citizens won a record number of seats, and reports emerged of an inquiry into alleged foreign funding of Arab-majority parties.

Accusations described as absurd and dangerous

Writing on his account on the US-based social media platform X, al-Ansari said some Israeli politicians and media figures were seeking to pull Qatar into Israel's political disputes. He noted that Qatar had previously been accused of financing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Israeli left, and that the latest claim alleged it had tried to sway Arab voters.

Al-Ansari called the accusations "both absurd and dangerous." If such claims were believed, he said, one would have to conclude that Qatar "owns almost all of Israel."

Doha says Israel should focus on its own voters

Al-Ansari argued that the repeated use of Qatar in Israeli election rhetoric shows an excessive fixation on his country, and said Qatar should not be made a scapegoat for the failures of Israeli politicians. Those politicians should turn their attention to their own voters, improve everyday living conditions and repair the damage caused in the region, he said.

He repeated that Qatar plays no role in Israel's political or electoral competition, describing those matters as internal Israeli affairs in which his country does not intervene. "We will not stay silent while Qatar's name is used to serve election agendas or narrow political interests," he wrote.

Record result for parties representing Palestinian citizens

Parties representing Palestinian citizens of Israel sent 19 lawmakers to the 120-seat Knesset in the elections held on October 27, according to preliminary results, setting a record. Neither Netanyahu and his allies nor the opposition reached the 61 seats needed to form a coalition government.

After the results, Netanyahu claimed the elections had been "stolen" and began targeting the parties representing Palestinians. Israeli media reported an allegation that funds had been transferred from abroad to the Joint List and the Raam party to interfere in the vote, and that the funds came from Qatar.

Funding claims under investigation

Reports said Central Elections Committee chair Noam Sohlberg had asked Shin Bet director David Zini to have the allegations investigated. Mansur Abbas, who leads the Raam party (United Arab List), denied the claims that foreign funds had been transferred to his party to influence the elections.

Al-Ansari also said any Israeli government formed after the elections must abide by international law and relevant United Nations resolutions, calling for respect for the rights of the Palestinian people, above all their right to self-determination. He affirmed the right of the Palestinian people to an independent state within the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital, and said Israel must address the Palestinian question in a serious and sincere manner. Qatar, he added, will not abandon its mediation role, its diplomatic and humanitarian efforts or its support for the Palestinian people, and will keep working with regional and international partners to resolve conflicts through diplomacy.

Key takeaways

• Qatar's Foreign Ministry spokesman Majid al-Ansari denied any Qatari role in Israel's political or electoral competition.
• Al-Ansari called the accusations "both absurd and dangerous" and said Qatar should not be used as a scapegoat.
• Parties representing Palestinian citizens of Israel won 19 of 120 Knesset seats on October 27, a record result.
• Israeli media reported allegations of foreign funding of the Joint List and Raam, and Raam leader Mansur Abbas rejected them.