TEL AVIV, Israel — Israeli election authorities and security chiefs moved decisively on Sunday to defend the integrity of last week’s general election, declaring that the vote will stand despite unsubstantiated allegations of fraud raised by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his Likud party.
In a unified appearance designed to signal institutional consensus, the head of Israel’s elections committee sat between the attorney general and the director of the Shin Bet intelligence service. Officials stated that even if ongoing investigations into alleged irregularities and foreign interference are substantiated, the overall election results and the integrity of the process will not be undermined.
The pushback follows weeks of political turmoil after Netanyahu’s right-wing bloc lost its majority in the 120-member Knesset, dropping to 53 seats from a peak of 68 in the outgoing parliament. A rival bloc led by Gadi Eisenkot secured 48 seats, while Arab-led parties captured the remaining 19 seats, opening a potential path for an opposition coalition to form a government and unseat Netanyahu.
Likud has claimed, without providing evidence, that Arab-led parties stole the election. To support these allegations, the party has pointed to a series of police arrests involving political activists. Prior to the Oct. 27 polls, three suspects were detained with envelopes of cash allegedly intended for voter bribery. Four additional suspects were arrested two days later. Police indicated the individuals were connected to the Islamist party Ra’am, which has firmly denied any involvement.
A judicial review on Sunday brought mixed results for the detentions. A judge questioned or rejected police requests for extended restrictions on the first three suspects; authorities subsequently released one under unspecified conditions, ordered another to house arrest for eight days, and extended the detention of a third for two days. Mansour Abbas, leader of Ra’am, which won eight seats in the Knesset, denounced the arrests as undemocratic and an attempt to influence the vote.
Electoral authorities also addressed claims of foreign interference brought by Likud, which prompted a security investigation by Shin Bet at the request of the election commission. Supreme Court Justice Noam Sohlberg, head of the elections committee, maintained that any confirmed suspicions would not invalidate the final count. Likud quickly criticized the stance, questioning how serious allegations could be acknowledged without altering the ultimate outcome.
The political maneuvering has intensified tensions surrounding government formation. Eisenkot accused Netanyahu on Sunday of orchestrating a deliberate campaign to delegitimize the election by insinuating that Qatar funded opposition parties to unseat him. Qatar has denied financing any activities aimed at influencing the vote. Meanwhile, Netanyahu has publicly suggested that it would be treasonous for Eisenkot to form an alliance with Arab parties.
The dispute has sparked demonstrations across the country. On Sunday night, a small group of protesters gathered outside Eisenkot’s home to voice opposition to an Arab-inclusive coalition. Conversely, larger rallies in recent days have advocated for a Jewish-Arab government.
Official certification of the election results is expected this week. President Isaac Herzog will begin consultations with all elected parliamentary parties on Wednesday to gauge preferences for the next prime minister. Herzog will then task the candidate he deems most capable—likely Netanyahu or Eisenkot—with forming a coalition government, initiating weeks of potential negotiations. If those efforts fail, the country could face fresh elections early next year.
Critics have accused Netanyahu of deploying scare tactics and stoking division against Israel’s Arab citizens, who comprise 20% of the population. Yousef Jabareen, leader of the Joint List of Arab parties, which secured 11 seats, argued that Likud focused heavily on anti-Arab messaging during election day to mobilize right-wing voters. Jabareen stated that in moments of political crisis, the prime minister reverts to familiar tactics of delegitimizing the Arab public.
