Netanyahu's Likud Party Claims Election Stolen as Results Show Loss of Majority

Israel's election officials announced on Friday that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud bloc secured 53 of the 120 Knesset seats, falling short of the 68-seat majority it previously held. The opposition secured 48 seats and Arab-led parties won the remaining 19 seats. While the count is complete, the results must still be certified and submitted to the president next week.

Following the announcement, Likud issued a statement asserting that the election had been "stolen" and alleging that foreign actors sought to facilitate a "foreign takeover of the Knesset, the Islamization of Israel and toppling of the right wing government." The party has not provided evidence for these claims.

Supreme Court Justice Noam Sohlberg, head of Israel's election committee, wrote to the Shin Bet security agency that "serious suspicions" of foreign interference had been raised, but he could not verify them and asked for an investigation. Acting director general Dean Livne of the election commission said the probe is based on classified intelligence, but warned that reports about it are "entirely unfounded" and do not affect the final results.

Qatar denied the allegations, describing them as "ridiculous and dangerous." Netanyahu's main rival, former military chief Gadi Eisenkot, accused Likud of trying to delegitimize the vote because it lost, and mocked the suggestion of Qatari involvement.

The Shin Bet clarified that its investigation is not intended to cast aspersions on any segment of the population that voted lawfully. The elections committee also stated that allegations of systematic violations of electoral integrity are baseless and expects the agency's findings within a week.

Analysts note that if opposition parties form a coalition with Arab-led parties, they could command a parliamentary majority, potentially leading to a new government or a fresh election early next year.