Israel’s election commission rejects Netanyahu claims of voting fraud
Israel's election commission confirmed the final results of the October 27 vote that rejected Benjamin Netanyahu's claims of mass fraud, stripping his far-right coalition of their governing majority.
Israel's election commission on Wednesday confirmed the final results of the 27 October vote that stripped Benjamin Netanyahu's far-right coalition of their governing majority, rejecting claims of mass fraud promoted by the prime minister.
His main challenger, Gadi Eisenkot, warned that Netanyahu had launched a "pogrom against democracy", attempting to hold on to power by discrediting valid votes and weaponising security forces against parties led by Palestinian citizens of Israel.
Legal Intervention
Hours earlier Israel's attorney general said she had blocked a demand from the Shin Bet security service to interrogate senior politicians from the Palestinian-led parties, because she was not presented with any evidence of wrongdoing.
In a country governed by the rule of law, neither citizens nor elected officials can be interrogated without evidence that justifies doing so.
Official Results
Election authorities on Wednesday presented the final results to the president, Isaac Herzog, after rejecting allegations they had been tainted by large-scale foreign interference and voter fraud.
"The review found no evidence of irregularities that compromised the integrity of the election or affected its results," the Central Elections Committee said in a statement.
The body's chair, Noam Sohlberg, added that some "suspicions" were still under investigation, but "they do not cast doubt on the election as a whole or justify delaying the election results".
Next Steps
When the results were handed over Herzog also denounced racist attacks on Palestinian citizens, who turned out to vote at historic rates.
"I condemn the coarseness and racist expressions that we have heard recently," he said. "I hold Arab society in Israel in great respect. I value its contribution to the country in every area of life, and its desire to integrate."
Herzog plays a key role in formation of the next government, by choosing which politician has the first chance to create a coalition. He is expected to name Eisenkot, in an announcement that could come as early as Thursday evening.
A former leader of the Israeli military who lost his son fighting in Gaza, Eisenkot has secured the public support of all the Jewish Israeli opposition parties. Palestinian-led parties have said their priority is removing Netanyahu so are also expected to back him as the strongest contender to achieve that.
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