Turkey working to influence Israel's upcoming elections through social media

Senior Israeli security officials have identified Turkey as a foreign actor attempting to interfere in the country's upcoming national elections via coordinated social media activity. These operations are reportedly designed to manipulate public opinion, disrupt political campaigns, and exacerbate existing societal divisions ahead of the October 27 vote. The development underscores the growing challenge social media platforms face in policing state-sponsored or foreign-led influence campaigns during high-stakes democratic processes.

Senior Israeli security officials informed The Jerusalem Post that Turkey is actively utilizing social media platforms to influence the upcoming national elections scheduled for October 27, 2026. While the officials did not specify the exact platforms, accounts, or organizations involved, they noted that the campaign aims to deepen internal divisions and disrupt the election cycle. This assessment places Turkey alongside Iran as a primary foreign threat actor suspected of exploiting digital networks to impact Israeli political stability following the events of October 7.

In response to these threats, Shin Bet chief David Zini is scheduled to brief a classified Knesset subcommittee on foreign election interference and the tracking of covert financial flows intended for political activity. The briefing follows warnings from the National Cyber Directorate, which has already detected preliminary indications of attempted interference. Central Elections Committee chairman and Supreme Court Deputy President Noam Sohlberg is also participating in these security reviews to safeguard the integrity of the first national vote since the start of the recent war.

The broader regulatory environment remains a point of concern, as a recent State Comptroller’s Office report highlighted that Israel lacks a unified national policy or a designated government body to coordinate responses to foreign online influence. State Comptroller Matanyahu Englman and former Central Elections Committee chairman Hanan Melcer have both emphasized the risks posed by anonymous social media activity and the potential use of artificial intelligence to spread misinformation. President Isaac Herzog has further urged citizens to exercise extreme caution when consuming and sharing digital content, framing the election as a critical test for the cohesion of Israeli society.