Middle East expert Dr. Edy Cohen, who warned before the elections of attempts by Arab countries to influence Israel's political system, claims that an extensive media campaign against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and right-wing parties was conducted in Arab countries in the months leading up to the vote.
In an interview with Arutz Sheva - Israel National News following the Arab parties' significant gains in the elections, he describes the messages circulated in Arab media, their potential influence on voters in Israel and suspicions of improper interference in the electoral process.
Cohen says, "Almost the very day we announced the election date, we saw an attack from Arab countries, from Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Qatar. They all attacked the prime minister, the right and Smotrich, with the same message about the need to replace them."
According to Cohen, these were not isolated remarks by commentators or politicians, but a series of messages repeated on television programs and across various media outlets. He says, "In Egypt, there are talk shows every day - and they were all saying the same thing."
He claims the broadcasts included appeals to the Israeli public to replace the prime minister, alongside personal and political attacks against Netanyahu and the right. He says, "There was outright slander and demonization of the prime minister and the right, and this happened three months ago, before the elections. From there, this campaign continued throughout the entire period."
Asked how much influence media in Arab countries actually have on Israel's Arab citizens, Cohen is convinced that these outlets wield significant influence. He says many members of Israel's Arab public consume news and political content from Arab channels, led by Al Jazeera, alongside Saudi channels and other platforms broadcasting from outside Israel.
He also mentions media outlets associated with Azmi Bishara that operate from Qatar and London, claiming that the combination of television broadcasts, websites and social media allows political messages to reach broad audiences in Israel.
Cohen points in particular to activity on TikTok in the period leading up to the elections. He says videos and calls to vote against right-wing parties were circulated on the platform, with a substantial share of the messages focusing on Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich.
Cohen believes Arab countries' desire to advance the establishment of a Palestinian state is another factor behind their wish to replace the right-wing government. However, he offers a different interpretation of the motives behind that support, saying that, particularly in the Gulf states, the desire for a political solution stems in part from a wish to reduce their ongoing involvement in the Palestinian issue. He says, "They are tired of the Palestinians, of helping the Palestinians and assisting them and giving them money. They want a state to be established for them. It is not out of love for the Palestinians, but out of a desire to disengage from them."
He says this aspiration also affects how figures in the Arab world view Israeli leaders. Cohen believes they see left-wing governments or leaders considered moderate as more favorable partners for advancing diplomatic initiatives than right-wing governments that oppose the establishment of a Palestinian state. He says, "They know Netanyahu; they know the right will not give them anything. Who brought about Oslo? After all, they know the history too."
He describes the record number of seats won by the Arab parties as "puzzling." He says, "I can tell you that those 19 seats are puzzling. It does not make sense; it goes beyond encouraging people to vote. According to the suspicions - allegedly, of course-there was funding of 100 million shekels. As a Middle East expert, I found things puzzling at ten in the morning when I saw lines of women waiting to vote. This is something we have not seen before. It was not just a protest vote - it was much more than that-and it will be investigated."