Israeli election officials reject Netanyahu’s claim the vote was stolen
Israel’s election chief says last Tuesday’s result stands, after the prime minister’s Likud party claimed without evidence that Arab-led parties “stole” the vote with Qatari money. “Even if the suspicions are substantiated, this would not undermine the integrity of the electoral process,” said Noam Sohlberg, appearing with the Shin Bet chief and the attorney general. Qatar calls the allegation “ridiculous and dangerous”.
The arithmetic explains the row. Netanyahu’s bloc won 53 seats and Gadi Eisenkot’s opposition 48 in the 120-seat Knesset; the three Arab-led parties took a record 19. Together with the Arab parties, Eisenkot would command 67 — a comfortable majority, but one he has previously ruled out. He accuses Netanyahu of an “orchestrated and organised campaign to delegitimise the results”. The Shin Bet’s inquiry into possible foreign interference is described by the elections committee as narrow in scope. Police have released two of three activists linked to the Ra’am party who were arrested carrying cash before polls opened.