Shin Bet Chief Says Israel's Election Is Secure Despite Attempts to Disrupt It

David Zini toured the Central Elections Committee's control center at the Knesset and said voting was running properly, with high turnout and close supervision.

Shin Bet head David Zini said on Tuesday, October 27, that Israel's election was secure and closely supervised, as he toured the Central Elections Committee's control center at the Knesset.

"Fortunately, election day has so far gone well, and that is not to be taken for granted," Zini said. "Turnout is high, and we can say with confidence to the citizens of Israel that the elections are supervised and are being conducted properly and in an inspiring way."

A visit to the election control center

Committee chairman Justice Noam Sohlberg and senior committee official Dean Livne hosted Zini as voting continued across the country. He toured the committee's departments, met the teams running the vote and reviewed the national election system.

Zini thanked Sohlberg and the committee for "a long process of hard work and preparation for this festive day." He closed with a message to voters: "I want to congratulate the citizens of Israel on a festival of democracy."

Attempts to cause harm are being handled

According to Ynet, Zini acknowledged challenges on election day and said there were people trying to cause harm. He said the security services, the committee and Israel Police were handling those attempts successfully.

Sohlberg thanked Zini for the Shin Bet's cooperation with the committee and for the joint preparations ahead of election day.

Sohlberg: long lines show resilience

"We are receiving reports of long lines," Sohlberg told Zini. "This is an expression of resilience, and we hope the day continues like this."

The committee issued separate instructions to polling staff during the day to move voters through more quickly.

An election after three years of war

Sohlberg recalled that the two men had last spoken six months earlier, "after three difficult years of fighting in which the Shin Bet joined the army."

The Shin Bet's role on election day is to protect the vote, the polling stations and the people running them. Polls close at 22:00, and counting begins immediately after.