Likud alleges Arab-led parties ‘stole’ Israel election as results leave no clear majority

Jerusalem: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party has alleged that Israel’s election was “stolen” by Arab-led parties, after preliminary results left neither Netanyahu’s right-wing bloc nor the main opposition with the 61 seats needed to form a majority in the 120-member Knesset.

The allegations followed a historic showing by Ra’am and the Joint List, the country’s two main Arab-led political groupings. They were projected to win a combined 19 seats, nearly double their previous representation, after a surge in turnout among Arab Israeli voters.

In a statement, Likud accused the parties of bribery, threats, violence, forgery and the use of prohibited software to mobilise voters. It said it had submitted “hundreds of testimonies” and other material to police, the Shin Bet domestic security agency and the Central Elections Committee, and demanded a thorough investigation.

“The elections in Israel were stolen by Arab parties that support terror and the elimination of the Jewish state through serious criminal offences of bribery, threats, violence, forgeries and the use of illegal software to mobilise voters,” the party said.

The Central Elections Committee said it was reviewing allegations of irregularities raised by all parties. However, an official had earlier dismissed claims of widespread fraud, and several international reports described Likud’s allegations as unproven.

With Netanyahu’s bloc projected at about 53 seats and the opposition short of a majority, the Arab-led parties could become pivotal in coalition negotiations. Netanyahu has repeatedly ruled out relying on Arab-led parties, complicating his path back to power.

The result underscores the growing political weight of Arab Israeli voters, who make up roughly one-fifth of Israel’s population. Their increased turnout appears to have driven Ra’am and the Joint List to their strongest combined result to date.

Counting is still under way, including “double envelope” ballots cast by soldiers, prisoners, medical personnel, voters with medical conditions and Israelis serving abroad. The CEC said results had been processed from 11,712 of 12,018 regular polling stations, covering 5,126,759 voters, while the remaining stations undergo standard verification.

The final allocation of seats may still shift, but the immediate outcome is a fragmented parliament in which Arab-led parties hold unusually strong leverage over the formation of Israel’s next government.

(Inputs from IANS)