Netanyahu Accuses Arab Israeli Parties of Using Foreign Backing to "Steal" Election
Benjamin Netanyahu has accused Arab Israeli parties of using foreign backing to "steal" Tuesday's election, as his coalition lost its majority in Israel's parliament. Netanyahu and his allies have called on the Shin Bet, the country's domestic security service, to investigate alleged vote-buying and irregularities in Palestinian communities in Israel that were supposedly funded by foreign money. The Guardian
With almost all votes counted, Netanyahu's coalition held 53 seats in the 120-seat Knesset, the parliament. Gadi Eisenkot, who leads the main opposition bloc, had 48 seats. The Joint List, an alliance of Arab Israeli parties, and the party Ra'am together held 19, which leaves them with the balance of power. Neither side has the numbers to govern without them.
Eisenkot accused Netanyahu and his Likud party of trying to derail the election results. He said Likud and Netanyahu had embarked on a coordinated, organised campaign to call the results into question. Times of Israel reported that Likud was running a broader effort to challenge results in Arab areas.
Likud has demanded that police and the Shin Bet investigate suspected election bribery and intimidation. Reuters Israel's elections committee, the body that runs the vote, has asked the Shin Bet to look into alleged interference. Courthouse News
Those official responses have not backed the vote-buying claims. Dean Livneh, acting director general of the central elections committee, said there appeared to be no basis for them. Police officials described the allegations as groundless and said voting had been relatively trouble-free.
President Isaac Herzog, whose role is largely ceremonial, rebuked Netanyahu. He called on leaders to avoid tarnishing an entire community that sought to exercise its right to vote. Yousef Jabareen, leader of the Joint List, accused Netanyahu of incitement and said Netanyahu had been defeated at the ballot box.
Press reports identified Qatar, the Gulf state, as the foreign power alleged to have funded vote-buying and voter mobilisation. Majed al-Ansari, an adviser to Qatar's prime minister, said Qatar categorically denied any involvement in the elections.
The newly elected Knesset is due to be sworn in, meaning formally begin its term, within 14 days of the election.
