War room and cyber defense: How the Shin Bet is preparing for the elections
The Shin Bet has established a dedicated team to ensure the integrity of the October 27 elections, amid concerns over potential attacks and foreign interference. The agency is coordinating with the Central Elections Committee, the police, and the National Cyber Directorate.
Ahead of the elections for the 26th Knesset, scheduled for October 27, the Shin Bet has established a dedicated team tasked with ensuring the integrity of the electoral process. This was learned by Ynet. The organization began preparations months ago, maintaining constant contact with the Central Elections Committee, the police, and regulatory bodies to monitor potential threats in advance.
A closed-door discussion was held on Monday in the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee's subcommittee. The meeting was attended by Shin Bet head David Zini, the chairman of the Central Elections Committee, Deputy Supreme Court President Judge Noam Sohlberg, and the committee's acting director-general, Dean Livne.
The Shin Bet has identified three main threats for the election period:
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Ideologically motivated attacks.
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Security threats to Knesset candidates (including former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett).
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Attempts by foreign states to influence the elections through cyber warfare and social media bot operations.
Sources indicate an escalation in attempts by hostile states to incite internal conflict within Israel. Reports suggest this primarily concerns Iran, Russia, and China. The Shin Bet has already conducted joint simulations of attack scenarios in cooperation with the Central Elections Committee, the National Cyber Directorate, the National Security Council, and the IDF. Joint war rooms will be operational on election day and in the days following.
Shin Bet head David Zini stated at the meeting:
"There is a clear separation between our daily work and our responsibility for maintaining the integrity of the elections under the guidance of the chairman of the Central Elections Committee. We are making significant, long-term efforts to prepare for this important day and ensure it is conducted according to the law. Keep us away from any involvement in the political space. We will perform our duty faithfully to the people of Israel."
