Netanyahu alleges voter fraud in Arab parties' election gains
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Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed voter fraud contributed to Arab parties' record seat wins, a charge rejected by Arab leaders and examined by Israeli authorities.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Arab parties' unprecedented gains in the recent election were partly the result of voter fraud, though he offered no evidence. Israeli officials confirmed that the authorities are investigating the allegations, but said the overall integrity of the vote was not systematically compromised.
The claim follows a high Arab turnout that prevented a clear majority for either Netanyahu's bloc, which holds 53 seats, or the rival coalition led by Gadi Eisenkot, which holds 48 seats. Arab parties are projected to win 19 seats, a historic high for the community that makes up about 21% of the population.
Arab Joint List leader Ahmad Tibi described Netanyahu's statements as a "toxic campaign" aimed at undermining the election results and discouraging any cooperation between Arab parties and Eisenkot. Ra'am head Mansour Abbas rejected accusations of involvement and called for a full investigation.
The head of Israel's Central Election Committee, Supreme Court jurist Noam Sohlberg, asked the Shin Bet to probe possible foreign interference. Likud cited concerns about an alleged attack on democracy and suggested Qatar's involvement, a claim Qatar denied.
President Isaac Herzog said the allegations must be examined while emphasizing that the community that voted should not be collectively tarnished. After the final vote count, Herzog will consult party leaders to appoint a candidate most likely to form a government.