Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday alleged foreign interference and voter bribery in the country’s parliamentary election, demanding an investigation while ruling out cooperation with Arab-led parties.
Netanyahu described the alleged interference as an “earthquake” and accused the Ra’am party and the Joint List alliance of benefiting from foreign funding and electoral malpractice. He called on the police and Shin Bet, Israel’s domestic security agency, to investigate the allegations.
The controversy follows an inconclusive election in which neither Netanyahu’s bloc nor the opposition camp led by former military chief Gadi Eisenkot secured a majority in the 120-member Knesset. According to the latest partial count, Netanyahu’s bloc had 53 seats, compared with 48 for Eisenkot’s bloc, while Arab-led parties were projected to win 19 seats. A majority requires 61 seats.
Netanyahu alleged that foreign entities sought to influence the election to end right-wing rule and promote what he called the “Islamisation of Israel”. Hebrew-language media reports said Likud believed Qatar and Turkiye could have funded organisations involved in mobilising Arab voters.
The Central Elections Committee’s chief, Justice Noam Sohlberg, had asked Shin Bet chief David Zini to investigate suspicions of foreign funding and improper influence. Sohlberg said he could not verify the allegations but considered a thorough investigation necessary, requesting findings within a week.
However, police have dismissed Likud’s broader claim that Arab parties “stole” the election, saying there was no supporting evidence.
Netanyahu said no Zionist party should cooperate with Ra’am or the Joint List. The position could complicate government formation, as opposition parties and Arab-led groups together have enough seats in the current count to potentially support an alternative government.
Eisenkot said he was receiving updates from the authorities and called for all complaints to be investigated thoroughly, cautioning against using the allegations for political advantage.
The Central Elections Committee is expected to publish final results by November 4. President Isaac Herzog will then consult political factions before assigning a lawmaker to form the next government.
Source: Press Trust of India
