After losing his majority, Netanyahu tries to delegitimize election results
Summary
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his Likud party have claimed, without evidence, that Arab parties used fraud to influence the election after his coalition lost 11 seats. Israel’s Shin Bet said it was investigating suspected foreign funding linked to one Arab party, but said the inquiry did not cast doubt on Arab voters’ right to vote or the election results.Key Facts
- Arab voters turned out in record numbers, and the two Arab parties won 19 seats combined.
- Likud cited the arrest of three activists from the Arab Ra’am party on suspicion of paying a small number of voters; police said there was no evidence to support Likud’s claim that the election was stolen.
- The judge who heads the Central Elections Committee asked Shin Bet to investigate suspected foreign interference and report its findings within a week.
- Israeli media identified Qatar as the country suspected of sending money to an Arab party to increase turnout; the article reports this as an allegation.
- Shin Bet’s director said on Election Day that the election was safe and secure, then later briefed election officials and political leaders on intelligence about possible foreign funding.
- Shin Bet said the investigation was focused and did not cast doubt on the Arab minority’s vote; it said only people who acted unlawfully would be held accountable.
- Netanyahu’s opponents fear his campaign could deter cooperation between opposition parties and Arab parties or prevent certification of the results.
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