Israeli election chiefs ask Shin Bet to probe Netanyahu's 'stolen' election claims as his bloc holds its lead
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.
Israeli election authorities have referred Likud's claims of "foreign power"-backed voter fraud in Arab communities to the Shin Bet security service for investigation. With roughly 90 per cent of votes counted, Netanyahu's bloc leads on a projected 53 seats against 48 for Gadi Eisenkot's opposition, leaving both sides short of the 61-seat threshold for a Knesset majority. Neither bloc can form a government alone, giving the two Arab parties — forecast to take a combined 19 seats — potential kingmaker influence. Election officials said incidents of alleged irregularities were few, characterising the vote as relatively calm.
Israeli police have already arrested four activists connected to the Ra'am party over alleged bribery during the vote.
Netanyahu wrote on X that the election had been "stolen by Arab parties that support terrorism and the elimination of the Jewish state," citing cash-stuffed envelopes, multiple votes cast under false identities and banned software.
Eisenkot, who has vowed not to partner with Arab parties, faces a dilemma: join Netanyahu in a unity government, reverse that pledge, or face another election.
