Netanyahu claims election was stolen
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s party has claimed the election was “stolen” as final results show his bloc losing its majority in parliament. The opposition has accused Netanyahu of demonizing the Arab population to delegitimize the election.
Israel’s election results, confirmed by officials, reveal that Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition secured 53 seats in the 120-seat parliament—a significant drop from the 68 seats his bloc once held at its height. Meanwhile, the leading opposition group captured 48 seats, while Arab-led factions won 19.
Election Results and Allegations
Though the vote count is finalized, officials must still validate the results and present them to the president by next Wednesday. Netanyahu’s Likud party has been pushing claims of wrongdoing by Arab-led groups since early exit polls suggested his camp had underperformed in Tuesday’s election.
Noam Sohlberg, chair of Israel’s election committee and a Supreme Court justice, acknowledged that ‘serious suspicions’ of foreign meddling had been raised with him. In a letter to the Shin Bet security service, he admitted he couldn’t confirm the allegations but urged an inquiry due to their severity.
Netanyahu’s party responded with an inflammatory statement, claiming without evidence that the alleged election interference was “aimed at facilitating a foreign takeover of the Knesset, the Islamization of Israel, and the toppling of the right-wing government.” Qatar, a country many Israelis view as a patron of Hamas, was quickly accused by members of Netanyahu’s party, but Qatar issued a denial, calling the allegations “ridiculous and dangerous.”
Read Also: Revenue shortfall hits Tk43000cr mark
The election commission stated its probe stems from classified intelligence, while acting director general Dean Livne dismissed media reports about the investigation as ‘completely unfounded.’ He stressed that the inquiry would not alter the final results sent to the president and does not target any specific group.
Opposition Reaction and Investigation
Gadi Eisenkot, Netanyahu’s chief rival and a former military leader, accused Likud of trying to discredit the election outcome. ‘They’re doing this because they lost,’ he said, mocking the foreign interference claims by noting, ‘I’m glad Netanyahu is finally addressing Qatari influence in Israel.’
The Shin Bet, seeking to calm tensions, said its investigation was not meant to “cast aspersions” on an entire section of the population that “exercised its right to vote in a democratic and lawful manner.” The elections committee also sounded a note of caution, saying that allegations of systematic violations of electoral integrity are baseless.
The committee is pressing for Shin Bet findings within seven days, though the uncertainty has intensified the challenges ahead—particularly whether Jewish and Arab parties might unite in an unprecedented coalition or if anti-Netanyahu factions would abandon their stance and ally with him instead.
Netanyahu’s campaign relied heavily on anti-Arab rhetoric, framing Arab-led parties as a threat to Israel, a strategy critics say was designed to isolate the country’s Palestinian minority. Though Arab Israelis make up 20% of the population, they often face suspicion due to perceived ties to Palestinians.
Read Also: Government Considers Three Officers for Police Chief Role
Yair Golan, head of the Democrats party, accused Netanyahu of “attempting to undermine the election results through an ugly delegitimization campaign directed against the will of the public, and against the Arab public in particular.” The head of the Arab-led Ra’am party, Mansour Abbas, welcomed the investigation into election interference and said his party had nothing to do with the case while accusing Netanyahu of a campaign of incitement.
President Isaac Herzog called it a “sensitive moment” and called for a full investigation, warning that “we must not tarnish an entire community that sought to exercise its right to vote and take an active part in democracy.” The situation remains volatile, with small rallies overnight in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem in support of a coalition that includes Arab-led parties.
Eisenkot has left the door open to cooperation with Arab-led parties, indicating he is open, with conditions, to joining forces with them. Ahmad Tibi, second on the Arab-led Joint List, told Army Radio the opposition bloc reached out to him to discuss replacing the Knesset speaker, and he told them the party would support the bloc’s candidate. The Knesset speaker plays a significant role in setting the legislative agenda, as this position is essential for determining the course of parliamentary business.
Coalition Talks and Potential Alliances
Until 2021, no Arab party had joined a coalition government, and that was brief. This development has significant implications for the potential formation of a new government.
