Netanyahu’s Likud Claims Election ‘Stolen’ as Results Show Loss of Majority
Netanyahu's party accuses Arab-led parties of election theft as final results show loss of parliamentary majority. Opposition criticizes rhetoric.
POLICY WIRE — JERUSALEM, ISRAEL — Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party has intensified allegations of election fraud, accusing Arab-led parties of stealing Thursday’s vote. The claims, which cite potential foreign interference, come as final results confirm Netanyahu’s bloc has lost its majority in the Knesset.
The opposition has roundly rejected these accusations, labeling them as an attempt to delegitimize the results and demonize the Arab population. A historic performance by Arab-led parties has put them in a position to potentially form a majority government, should they align with other opposition groups.
Election results released early Friday show Netanyahu’s bloc securing 53 seats in the 120-member Knesset, a significant drop from the 68 seats it held in the previous parliament. The main opposition won 48 seats, while Arab-led parties took 19.
Supreme Court Justice Noam Sohlberg, head of the election committee, has referred serious allegations of foreign interference to the Shin Bet security agency for investigation. Despite these claims, Sohlberg emphasized that the investigation does not affect the final election results.
Netanyahu’s party issued a strongly worded statement, declaring, ‘The elections in Israel have been stolen!’ The party alleged, without evidence, that the interference was aimed at ‘facilitating a foreign takeover of the Knesset, the Islamization of Israel, and the toppling of the right-wing government.’
Netanyahu’s main rival, former military chief Gadi Eisenkot, dismissed the claims as a desperate attempt to delegitimize the results. ‘They are doing this because they lost,’ Eisenkot said, ridiculing the accusations of foreign interference.
Eisenkot even mockingly welcomed Netanyahu’s condemnation of Qatari involvement, a country often viewed by many Israelis as a patron of the militant group Hamas. Qatar quickly denied the allegations, calling them ‘ridiculous and dangerous.’
The Shin Bet and the elections committee have urged caution, stating that the investigation is not intended to cast doubt on the democratic process. The committee has requested findings from the security agency within a week.
As the race for a 61-seat majority in the Knesset continues, Netanyahu remains in power. If he loses office, he could face immediate accountability for long-standing corruption allegations and an inquiry into security failures following the Hamas-led attack on October 7, 2023.
Arab-led parties, even without joining a coalition, could assert their growing influence by supporting other opposition candidates. This could impact the election of a new Knesset speaker and the potential passage of new legislation before a new government is formed.
Gadi Eisenkot has indicated openness to forming an alliance with Arab-led parties, under certain conditions. Ahmad Tibi, a key figure in the Arab-led Joint List, has confirmed that the opposition has reached out to discuss the possibility of replacing the Knesset speaker.
Small rallies in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem have shown support for a coalition that includes Arab-led parties. If a new government cannot be formed, Israel could face another round of elections early next year.
Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)
