Israel's election chief asks the Shin Bet to investigate after Netanyahu's Likud claims Arab parties 'stole' the vote
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 Thursday that he had requested a Shin Bet inquiry after being presented with evidence of alleged funding from foreign entities working against Israeli interests. With roughly 90 per cent of ballots counted, Netanyahu's bloc is projected to take 53 Knesset seats against 48 for Eisenkot's centrist opposition, while Arab parties are on track for a record 19 seats that could hand them a kingmaker role. Neither bloc has a clear route to the 61 seats required for a majority, leaving coalition talks likely to stretch over weeks.
In a formal statement, Likud accused Arab parties of bribery, violence, forgeries and use of 'prohibited software', and said hundreds of testimonies had been submitted to police and the Shin Bet.
Police confirmed that four activists linked to the Ra'am party had already been arrested in connection with a separate bribery investigation.
Israel Kreis, 94, collapsed and died outside his Ramat Gan home after casting his vote for Eisenkot — his daughter said he was 'an example to all of us'.
