Israeli Opposition Accuses Netanyahu of Trying to ‘Delegitimise’ Election Results.
Jerusalem:
Israel’s opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot and Arab-led party leaders have accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of attempting to undermine the legitimacy of the election results after his ruling coalition failed to secure a parliamentary majority.
The final results confirmed that neither Netanyahu’s bloc nor the opposition secured the 61 seats required for a majority in the 120-member Knesset. Netanyahu’s coalition won 53 seats, while Eisenkot’s bloc secured 48. The two Arab-led parties, the Joint List and Ra’am, won a record 19 seats, positioning them as potential kingmakers.
Netanyahu’s Likud Party alleged that voters had been bribed to support Arab parties and called for an investigation into suspected foreign interference. Israel’s Shin Bet security agency is examining allegations of illegal funding from Qatar and Turkey.
Qatar’s Foreign Ministry strongly rejected the accusations, describing them as “ridiculous and dangerous” and accusing Israeli politicians of conducting a disinformation campaign against Doha.
However, Shin Bet clarified that its investigation did not implicate the entire Arab community, while acting Central Elections Committee Director General Dean Livne said there was no basis for allegations of systematic violations of election integrity.
Eisenkot, who was briefed on the investigation, said it was too early to determine whether any wrongdoing had occurred. However, he accused Netanyahu of running an organised campaign to delegitimise the election results.
Balad chairman Sami Abu Shehadeh also rejected the allegations, describing them as racist attempts to challenge the outcome.
Arab citizens, who constitute around one-fifth of Israel’s population, recorded a significant increase in voter turnout, largely driven by opposition to Netanyahu’s right-wing government.
The election has left three possible political scenarios: a national unity government, a right-wing coalition formed through defections, or an Eisenkot-led minority government supported by Arab parties.
A Hebrew University snap poll indicated that an opposition-led minority government supported by Ra’am and the Joint List was the most popular option among voters in the opposition camp.
