Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party has questioned the conduct of the recent parliamentary elections, accusing Arab political parties of alleged electoral fraud, intimidation, and violence. The statement arrived as interim results pointed to Arab parties potentially playing a key role in forming the next government. Opposition politicians warned that Netanyahu was laying the groundwork to challenge the election outcome. Electoral authorities have so far reported no evidence of systematic tampering with the vote.
Likud Claims the Election Was ‘Stolen’
On Wednesday, October 28, Likud accused Arab political alliances of attempting to influence the parliamentary election outcome. In its statement, Likud pointed to alleged corruption, intimidation, violence, and the use of forbidden software to boost turnout.
The party also said it was submitting evidence to authorities showing voting irregularities. This included reports of envelopes with cash and Raam party ballots.
However, these claims must be distinguished from verified facts. The accusations made by the political party themselves are not proof that the election was manipulated; any potential legal violations must be investigated by relevant authorities.
Police Investigate Alleged Vote Buying
During the election period, police detained three people suspected of attempting to buy votes in favor of the Arab party Raam. Officers seized envelopes and cash totaling over 24,000 Israeli shekels, roughly €6,900.
Interim Central Election Committee chief Dean Livne described the case as unusual. According to him, the suspects were apprehended before voters arrived at the polling stations.
The election committee also stated that at the time there was no evidence of systematic manipulation of ballots. Therefore, the investigation of a single instance cannot be considered proof of widespread electoral fraud.
Arab Parties Could Decide the New Government
According to partial results with more than 85 percent of votes counted, Netanyahu’s right-wing bloc was on track to win about 53 seats in the 120-member Knesset. The bloc of his main rival, Gadi Eizenkot, was projected to take about 48 seats.
At least 61 seats are needed for a parliamentary majority. With neither main bloc meeting that threshold, two Arab political alliances—Joint List and Raam—could hold the balance of power according to interim estimates.
Their combined result was projected at around 19 seats, providing significant leverage in coalition negotiations. However, it remained uncertain whether either alliance would choose to support a specific political bloc.
Before the election, Netanyahu rejected the possibility of a government dependent on Arab parties. Their strong performance now complicates the post-election situation and could prolong talks to form a new cabinet.
Raam Leader Rejects Netanyahu’s Allegations
Raam’s chairman Mansour Abbas responded to Likud’s statements by accusing Netanyahu of spreading false claims and stoking hostility toward Israel’s Arab citizens.
According to Abbas, the prime minister uses such rhetoric to rally right-wing voters. The Gadi Eizenkot-led Yashar party also warned that Netanyahu could be preparing to discredit the results if they do not meet his expectations.
The dispute goes beyond the single incident of alleged vote buying. It touches on public trust in the voting process and raises questions about whether political leaders will accept an outcome that may prevent them from forming a government.
Israel Faces Difficult Coalition Negotiations
Provisional results indicate that the election may not produce a clear winner able to form a majority government alone. Political parties will need to seek additional support or negotiate for a broader coalition.
The situation is further complicated by several political blocs refusing to cooperate with Arab parties. If no acceptable agreement is reached, Israel could face a prolonged post-election deadlock.
The final vote count, findings from the investigation into alleged vote buying, and the willingness of political parties to negotiate will determine the next steps. Until official results and statements from authorities are available, claims of a manipulated election remain unproven allegations.
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This article was translated from the original Slovak version with the assistance of AI.
