Israel's election chief asks Shin Bet to investigate Netanyahu's claims that Arab parties 'stole' the vote as his bloc leads
Benjamin Netanyahu, whose Likud party has filed witness statements and physical evidence with Israeli police alleging cash-filled envelopes containing Ra'am ballots were distributed to manipulate the vote.Arab parties surged to a projected record 18 or 19 seats, complicating any Gadi Eisenkot-led coalition that has been reluctant to depend on their backing.
Judge Noam Sohlberg, chair of Israel's Central Elections Committee and a Supreme Court justice, confirmed on Thursday that he has asked the Shin Bet security service to look into allegations of foreign-backed fraud following Likud's submission of hundreds of pieces of evidence. Israeli police have already declared that the claims are unsupported by any investigative or intelligence-based findings, putting them in direct contradiction with Netanyahu's allegations. With roughly 90 per cent of ballots counted, Netanyahu's bloc is on course for 53 seats against 48 for Gadi Eisenkot's opposition and a record 19 for Arab parties, leaving neither side close to the 61-seat majority required.
Likud's statement accused Arab parties of bribery, threats, forged identities and banned software to mobilise voters, calling it 'a serious blow to Israeli democracy.'
Trump told Axios he would 'take a look' at helping Netanyahu form a government, boasting his endorsement had made 'a big difference for Bibi.'
Israel Kreis, 94, of Ramat Gan collapsed and died after voting for Eisenkot on Tuesday; his daughter said he was 'an example to all of us.'
