Jersalem: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party has alleged that the country’s recent parliamentary election was “stolen”, claiming possible foreign interference involving Arab-led parties. The accusations have emerged after the final results showed Netanyahu’s bloc falling short of a majority in the 120-member Knesset, Israel’s parliament.
The Central Elections Committee’s final results, released on Friday, October 30, gave Netanyahu’s bloc 53 seats, while the opposition bloc led by former military chief Gadi Eisenkot secured 48. Arab-led parties won the remaining 19 seats, recording their strongest representation in the Knesset.
A majority requires 61 seats. The result leaves both major blocs short of the numbers needed to form a government independently, making the position of the Arab-led parties significant in the upcoming coalition negotiations.
Why Has Netanyahu’s Party Called the Election ‘Stolen’?
Likud began raising allegations of electoral malpractice after exit polls indicated that Netanyahu’s bloc had suffered a setback in Tuesday’s election. The party intensified its claims after Noam Sohlberg, head of Israel’s Central Elections Committee and a Supreme Court justice, said that serious suspicions of foreign interference had been brought to his attention.
In a letter to the Shin Bet security agency, Sohlberg said he could not verify the allegations but requested an investigation because of their seriousness. The inquiry is reportedly based on classified intelligence.
Likud subsequently issued a statement declaring that the election had been stolen. It alleged that the purported interference was intended to facilitate a foreign takeover of the Knesset and weaken the right-wing government. The party has not publicly provided evidence establishing these claims.
Qatar was also mentioned in allegations circulated by members of Netanyahu’s party and Israeli media. Qatar rejected the accusations, describing them as ridiculous and dangerous.
The election authorities, meanwhile, cautioned against drawing conclusions from the investigation. The Central Elections Committee said the inquiry would not affect the final results and did not concern any particular section of the population. It also stated that allegations of systematic violations of electoral integrity were baseless.
Opposition Accuses Netanyahu of Targeting Arab Voters
Netanyahu’s political opponents have accused Likud of using the allegations to cast doubt on the election outcome and undermine the legitimacy of Arab-led parties.
Gadi Eisenkot, whose opposition bloc secured 48 seats, said Likud was attempting to delegitimise the results because it had lost ground. Other opposition leaders also criticised the party’s statements.
Yair Golan, head of the Democrats party, accused Netanyahu of trying to undermine the public’s electoral choice through a campaign directed particularly at Arab voters.
President Isaac Herzog described the situation as sensitive and called for a complete investigation. However, he warned against tarnishing an entire community that had exercised its democratic right to vote.
The Shin Bet also clarified that its investigation was not intended to cast suspicion on an entire section of the population.
How Did Arab-Led Parties Perform?
The Joint List and Ra’am together secured 19 seats, nearly doubling their representation compared with the outgoing Knesset. Their performance has made them potentially influential in determining the next government.
Arab citizens of Palestinian descent account for approximately 20% of Israel’s population. Their increased participation in the election came amid strong opposition to Netanyahu and his far-right governing partners.
The opposition could potentially reach the 61-seat majority by cooperating with Arab-led parties. However, such an arrangement would involve difficult political negotiations, as several opposition leaders have previously ruled out joining a coalition with them.
Eisenkot has indicated that he is open to cooperation under certain conditions. Representatives of the Joint List have also reportedly held discussions with opposition figures about parliamentary arrangements, including replacing the Knesset speaker.
What Happens Next in Israel?
With the vote count complete, the final results are due to be submitted to President Isaac Herzog on November 4 after the remaining checks and inquiries. The new Knesset is scheduled to be sworn in on November 10.
Netanyahu remains prime minister while political parties explore possible coalition arrangements. The options include an agreement between opposition parties and Arab-led factions, a broader unity arrangement or further attempts to form a government through negotiations.
If the parties fail to form a government after the available attempts, Israel could face another election early next year.
The election investigation is expected to continue separately. The Central Elections Committee has sought findings from the Shin Bet, while officials have stressed that the inquiry does not establish that the election results were compromised.
