Israel’s election commission announced on Wednesday that its comprehensive review of last week’s parliamentary vote uncovered no evidence of fraud. The committee’s findings serve as a direct response to repeated, unsubstantiated allegations from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his supporters, who had claimed that Arab-led parties manipulated the election results, potentially with foreign assistance.
Acting director of the elections committee, Dean Livne, stated that every individual complaint received was examined thoroughly. According to the committee, the investigation confirmed that there were no irregularities capable of compromising the integrity of the election or altering the final outcome. Livne emphasized that the results, which are scheduled for formal certification on Wednesday, accurately reflect the choices made by voters at the ballot box.
While the elections committee has concluded its review, a spokesperson noted that a separate investigation remains ongoing. The Shin Bet intelligence service is currently looking into allegations concerning foreign interference in the electoral process.
The election results indicate that Prime Minister Netanyahu’s religious-nationalist bloc has lost its parliamentary majority, while Arab-led parties have secured substantial gains. Following the formal certification of these results, President Isaac Herzog is set to begin consultations with all elected parties. After two days of discussions, the President will nominate a candidate—likely either Netanyahu or his primary rival, opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot—to form a coalition government.
Currently, neither the bloc led by Netanyahu nor the alliance led by Eisenkot has achieved the parliamentary majority required to establish a new government. This deadlock presents the possibility of a power-sharing agreement between the two rivals or a coalition involving Eisenkot and certain Arab-led parties. Should neither leader succeed in forming a government, Israel would be forced to hold another election early next year.
