Israel election chief says results stand despite interference claims
Likud alleges Arab-led parties took Qatari funds; Qatar rejects the allegation, while Eisenkot accuses Netanyahu of launching a campaign to delegitimise results
Israel's elections chief has said the results of Tuesday's general election would still stand even if allegations of foreign interference are substantiated, while Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu's Likud party claimed, without providing evidence, that Arab-led parties 'stole' the vote.
Central Elections Committee head Noam Sohlberg made the remarks in a video on Sunday alongside the head of the Shin Bet security agency and the attorney general. He said the committee's position was that even if suspicions were substantiated, they would not undermine the integrity of the electoral process or the election results as a whole.
The election left both main blocs short of a majority in Israel's 120-seat parliament: Netanyahu's bloc won 53 seats and the opposition bloc led by Gadi Eisenkot won 48, while Israel's three Arab-led parties, including Ra'am, won a record 19 seats. A coalition of Arab parties with Eisenkot would provide a majority of 67, though the idea is politically unpalatable for many in Israel.
Netanyahu's Likud party had questioned the results after saying that Arab-led parties, which made significant gains in the election, "stole" the vote and accepted funding from Qatar to do it. Qatar has rejected the allegations, calling them a disinformation campaign.
Also on Sunday, police released two of three political activists arrested before Tuesday's polls opened. Police said they were carrying envelopes of cash, allegedly to bribe voters. One was released on unspecified conditions while another was ordered to remain on house arrest. Police said the suspects were connected to Ra'am, which won eight seats. Its leader, Mansour Abbas, denounced the arrests as undemocratic and "an attempt to influence the election results".
Eisenkot accused Netanyahu of launching an "orchestrated and organised campaign to delegitimise the results". He has previously ruled out forming a coalition with Arab parties, but the deadlock means their support could help him form a government.
The results are due to be officially certified this week, after which President Isaac Herzog must nominate a candidate to form a new government.
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Seats won by bloc in Israeli election
seats
Total seats: 120 Source: Al Jazeera
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Analysis
Why This Matters
Arab-led parties could hold the balance of power in Israel's 120-seat parliament, giving them unusual influence over who forms the next government.
Netanyahu's unsubstantiated fraud allegations could erode public confidence in the election, but the elections chief's statement that the results stand removes an immediate legal threat.
This week's certification and the president's nomination will determine whether Israel gets a coalition government or faces a prolonged stalemate.
Background
Israel's parliamentary system requires a coalition of at least 61 seats to govern, and no single bloc won a majority in Tuesday's vote. After the results are certified, the president must nominate a candidate to form a government, usually the party leader seen as most likely to assemble a coalition. Allegations of foreign interference and attempted voter bribery have become part of the political contest as the blocs jostle for support.
Key Perspectives
Noam Sohlberg: The Central Elections Committee head said even if suspicions of foreign interference are substantiated, they would not undermine the integrity of the electoral process or the election results as a whole.
Likud / Benjamin Netanyahu: Claimed, without providing evidence, that Arab-led parties "stole" the vote and accepted Qatari funding.
Qatar: Rejected the allegations as a disinformation campaign.
Mansour Abbas: Denounced the arrests of activists as undemocratic and "an attempt to influence the election results".
Gadi Eisenkot: Accused Netanyahu of launching an "orchestrated and organised campaign to delegitimise the results".
What to Watch
Official certification of the results this week, followed by President Isaac Herzog's nomination of a candidate to form a government.
Whether Eisenkot moves toward a coalition with Arab-led parties despite having ruled it out, and how his bloc reacts.
The police investigation into the arrested activists and any further evidence about alleged vote-buying or foreign funding.
12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 12 supported.
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SupportedThe elections chief said the results would stand despite interference claims.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “The head of Israel’s elections commission has said the results of the country’s general election would still stand even if claims of foreign interference were substantiated.”
SupportedLikud said Arab-led parties “stole” the vote.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu’s Likud party had questioned the results after saying, without providing evidence, that Arab-led parties, which made significant gains in Tuesday’s elections, “stole” the vote”
SupportedLikud alleged Arab-led parties accepted funding from Qatar to steal the vote.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “Arab-led parties, which made significant gains in Tuesday’s elections, “stole” the vote and accepted funding from Qatar to do it.”
SupportedEisenkot accused Netanyahu of launching an “orchestrated and organised campaign to delegitimise the results”.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “Main opposition leader Eisenkot on Sunday accused Netanyahu of launching an “orchestrated and organised campaign to delegitimise the results”.”
SupportedSohlberg said even substantiated suspicions would not undermine the electoral process or the results as a whole.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: ““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,” Central Elections Committee head Noam Sohlberg said”
SupportedSohlberg made the remarks in a Sunday video alongside the Shin Bet head and the attorney general.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “Central Elections Committee head Noam Sohlberg said in a video on Sunday, in which he appeared with the head of the Shin Bet, Israel’s internal security agency, and the attorney general.”
SupportedPolice released two of the three activists arrested before Tuesday’s polls opened.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “Israeli police released two out of three political activists arrested before Tuesday’s polls opened.”
SupportedAbbas called the arrests undemocratic and “an attempt to influence the election results”.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “Its leader, Mansour Abbas, denounced the arrests as undemocratic and “an attempt to influence the election results”.”