Israeli election: Netanyahu screams foul as Likud falls short of majority; authorities deny claims of voter fraud | Today’s news
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has cast doubt on the outcome of the country’s latest parliamentary election, with his Likud party accusing Arab political groups of widespread voter fraud after the final results left both the ruling coalition and the main opposition out of the majority.
The allegations prompted scrutiny by Israel’s election authorities and its domestic Shin Bet intelligence agency. However, election officials and police rejected claims of systematic fraud, saying there was no evidence the integrity of the vote had been compromised.
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The final tally, released early Friday by Israel’s Central Election Committee, confirmed that Netanyahu’s right-wing alliance secured 53 seats in the 120-member Knesset, eight short of the 61 seats needed to form an independent government.
The opposition bloc, led by former military chief Gadi Eisenkot, won 48 seats, while Arab political parties secured a record 19 seats, potentially giving them significant leverage in negotiating the country’s next government.
Why does Netanyahu cite electoral fraud in Israel?
Netanyahu’s Likud party has accused the Arab-led Ra’am and Joint List parties of alleged electoral malpractice, including bribery, intimidation, violence, forgery and the use of illegal software to mobilize voters.
Likud claimed in a statement that the election was stolen by parties it accused of supporting terrorism and opposing the existence of a Jewish state. The party called on the police and Shin Bet to investigate the allegations.
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The allegations came after Arab political groups recorded an unprecedented electoral performance, with their combined representation expected to rise to 19 seats from 10 in the previous election.
Strong voter turnout in Arab communities, along with reports of organized traffic to polling stations and concerns about foreign-funded mobilization efforts, became central to Likud’s objections.
The Shin Bet asked to investigate claims of foreign interference
No’am Sohlberg, the Supreme Court judge who heads the Central Election Commission, referred the allegations to the Shin Bet for investigation.
In the letter, Sohlberg said he had been alerted to concerns about possible inappropriate foreign interference in voter mobilization. He added that he could not independently determine whether the allegations were true.
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The intelligence agency subsequently clarified that its investigation into possible foreign interference was limited and was not initiated based on information provided by any political party.
The Israeli police also said they found no investigative or intelligence evidence to support Likud’s claims.
Election officials reject Netanyahu’s claims of widespread fraud
Israel’s election authorities have backed away from accusations that the election was systematically rigged.
Acting Director General of the Central Electoral Committee Dean Livne said that the parliamentary elections were conducted in accordance with the law and that the safeguards in the polling stations protected the integrity of the electoral process.
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In a letter to Yesh Atid lawmaker Vladimir Beliak, Livne said that to the best of the committee’s knowledge there was no basis for allegations of widespread violations.
The Shin Bet inquiry is not expected to delay the formal submission of verified election results to President Isaac Herzog on November 4.
Netanyahu and the opposition face a difficult government formation
The final results put Israel ahead of potentially prolonged coalition negotiations.
Netanyahu’s alliance lost ground compared to the 64 seats it won in the 2022 election. The opposition, despite leading in the polls for months, also failed to win enough seats to form a government without additional support.
The Arab parties’ record performance made them potential kings, although some opposition groups balked at the prospect of relying on their support.
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The election was widely seen as a referendum on Netanyahu’s leadership, especially after the 7 October 2023 Hamas-led attack and subsequent war in Gaza.
Voter turnout reached its highest level since 1999, but the result did not give either party a clear parliamentary majority, leaving Israel’s political future dependent on the president’s negotiations and next steps.
