Netanyahu's Likud steps up claims that Arab parties 'stole' Israel's election as the final count leaves his bloc short
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.
Likud has alleged "bribery, threats, violence, forgery and the use of prohibited software" to mobilise Arab voters, submitting hundreds of witness statements to police, Shin Bet and the Central Elections Committee. Final results give Netanyahu's bloc 53 seats, the Eisenkot-led opposition 48, and Arab parties a record 19 — leaving both main blocs well short of the 61 needed to govern.
The head of Israel's Central Elections Committee raised 'serious suspicions' of foreign funding but acknowledged that the claims were beyond his ability to confirm.
Opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot accused Netanyahu of running a 'coordinated, organised campaign' to delegitimise the results and block an Arab-backed coalition.
Israel's president rebuked Netanyahu for 'tarnishing an entire community', while the CEC's acting director general said there was 'no basis' for the theft allegations.
