Beersheba court extends remand of one suspect in Negev vote-buying case
One of three Negev residents held over alleged cash-for-votes for Ra'am stays in custody until Nov. 3. A second was freed on conditions and a third placed under house arrest.
The Beersheba Magistrate's Court on Sunday extended the detention of one of three men arrested in an alleged election bribery plot in the Negev. He will remain in custody until Nov. 3, Israel Police said.
The court released a second suspect on conditions. It ordered the third held under house arrest for eight days.
Police said the investigating unit asked the court to delay carrying out the decision on the third suspect. The statement did not say whether the court agreed. Police added that the investigation is continuing.
Cash, notes and a party
The three men, all residents of the Negev, were arrested last Tuesday. Police suspect them of involvement in an attempt to buy votes. The allegation is that money was meant to be handed out to citizens in return for voting for the Ra'am party.
During searches at the suspects' homes, officers seized envelopes holding tens of thousands of shekels in cash, police said. They also took notes and other items that police believe are tied to the offenses under investigation.
The suspects have not been named. The police statement did not give the total amount seized, did not say who was to have supplied the money, and did not say whether any of the three has been charged. Those are allegations at the investigation stage, and the men are presumed innocent.
Why it matters
Offering or accepting money for a vote is a criminal offense in Israel. Vote-buying cases are rare enough that an arrest tied to cash envelopes draws attention, and the case now turns on what investigators can show about where the money came from and who was meant to distribute it.
The court's mixed ruling points to different levels of suspicion among the three. One man stays in custody, one is out under restrictions, and one is confined to his home. Police have not explained the reasoning for each decision.
The extension to Nov. 3 gives investigators a short window with the suspect still held. Police will have to decide by then whether to ask for further detention, seek lesser restrictions or move toward an indictment recommendation.
The report was carried by Arutz Sheva and Srugim, both in Hebrew, and is based on the police statement.
- Arutz Sheva (Hebrew): החשד לשוחד בחירות: הוארך מעצרו של אחד החשודים
- Srugim (Hebrew): החשד לשוחד בחירות: הוארך מעצרו של אחד החשודים
Drafted with AI assistance from the sources above and reviewed under our editorial standards. Spot a mistake? See corrections.
