Opposition leader fears Netanyahu may launch fresh war with Iran to retain power

Amid allegations of foreign interference and vote theft levelled by Benjamin Netanyahu following Israel’s recent general election, the country’s top election official has maintained that the election results would stand even if foreign interference were established, while the opposition leader expressed concern that Netanyahu might launch another war against Iran to cling to power.

Central Elections Committee head Noam Sohlberg made the remarks on Sunday in a video statement alongside the head of Shin Bet, Israel’s domestic security agency, and the attorney general. “Our position is that even if the suspicions are substantiated, this would not undermine the integrity of the electoral process or the election results as a whole,” he said.

The statement came after Netanyahu’s Likud party questioned the election outcome, alleging, without presenting evidence, that Arab-led parties had stolen votes and received financial support from Qatar to influence the results, an allegation strongly rejected by the Qatari administration, which described it as part of a disinformation campaign.

Adding to the political uncertainty following the election, Democratic Party leader Yair Golan has warned that Netanyahu might resort to another military strike against Iran as a strategy to cling to power. His remarks come amid growing political tensions in Israel following last week's parliamentary elections.

“The likelihood of another confrontation with Iran is increasing,” Golan wrote on X, alleging that pushing the country into another wartime situation would demonstrate Netanyahu’s grave failure as a leader.

His warning follows reports suggesting that Israel and the United States could launch another strike against Iran after the US midterm elections on November 3. Golan argued that Netanyahu lacked both the moral standing and the capability to manage a war with Iran, and called for the urgent formation of an alternative government to safeguard the country’s security and its citizens, warning that continuing under Netanyahu’s leadership would itself jeopardise Israel’s security.

In a separate development, Israeli police released two of three political activists arrested shortly before polling began on allegations of carrying cash intended to bribe voters. Police said the suspects had links to the Arab-led Ra’am party, which secured eight seats.

One was released under unspecified conditions, while the other was placed under house arrest. Ra’am leader Mansour Abbas condemned the arrests as undemocratic, describing them as an attempt to influence the election outcome.

The controversy has further intensified political tensions, with opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot accusing Netanyahu of conducting an “orchestrated and organised campaign” to delegitimise the results.

Netanyahu’s bloc secured 53 seats in the 120-member Knesset, against 48 won by Eisenkot’s opposition alliance, leaving both sides short of a governing majority. The three Arab-led parties, meanwhile, won a record 19 seats, potentially giving Eisenkot a comfortable majority of 67 if he secures their support, although an alliance with Arab parties remains politically contentious in Israel.