Netanyahu ‘undermining’ election by alleging Arab vote irregularities

Oct. 29 (UPI) — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was accused Thursday of trying to undermine elections earlier this week by alleging they had been stolen by Arab parties representing Palestinians who are Israeli citizens and demanding an investigation by police and the domestic security service.

Democrats party leader Yair Golan said that having failed to get re-elected Netanyahu was attempting to “undermine the election results through an ugly delegitimization campaign” against Arab voters.

“Netanyahu suffered a crushing democratic defeat. The public fired him, and he refuses to accept the verdict of the voters. Now he is trying to undermine the election results through an ugly delegitimization campaign against the will of the public, and against the Arab public in particular. Any genuine suspicion of damage to the integrity of the elections must be investigated to the end,” said Golan.

He was apparently backed by Israeli President Isaac Herzog, who has been calling for a government of national unity, with the former Labour Party leader saying it was critical to “avoid tarnishing an entire community that sought to exercise its right to vote and take an active part in democracy.”

Saying he would consult with the leaders of all the political groups ahead of coalition negotiations next week after the full results were out, Herzog urged all those involved to prioritize the best interests of the country.

The comments came as the Central Elections Committee wrote the head of Shin Bet, requesting the internal intelligence agency investigate “serious suspicions” of foreign election interference, with Israeli media reporting it was based on reports that Qatar had spent significant sums of money to influence the Arab vote.

“Serious suspicions have been brought to my attention regarding improper influence on the elections — exerted through funding provided by foreign entities acting against Israeli interests. While I cannot attest to the substance of these suspicions, it is my view that — given they involve foreign entities — there is an obligation to investigate them thoroughly,” CEC chair Noam Sohlberg wrote in a letter to Shin Bet head David Zini.

Police and Israel’s central election committee earlier dismissed cheating claims made in an official complaint by Netanyahu’s Likud party alleging the integrity of the race had been compromised by Arab parties.

Acting director general of the central elections committee Dean Livne said there was “no basis for allegations of election theft” and a police source told the Times of Israel the allegation was without grounds.

“Election day passed with very few irregular incidents concerning the integrity of the election, even when compared to previous elections. It should be emphasised that there is no investigative- or intelligence-based supporting evidence for the claims,” said the source.

Before Israelis went to the polls Tuesday, local media reported Likud intended to challenge results from Arab voting disricts and make cheating accusations, with a series of complaints and allegations pre-prepared.

The Arab parties have taken on a renewed significance because, having won 19 seats in the 120-seat Knesset with counting still underway, they could hold the key to forming a new coalition government.

With Netanyahu’s Likud party and its ultra-nationalist and Jewish orthodox religious partners on 53 seats and Gadi Eisenkot’s opposition Yashar Party-led “change bloc” on 48, neither has enough to put together a government.

Eisenkot warned Wednesday against delaying the democratic process, saying that while the integrity of elections had to be safeguarded and that all allegations needed to be properly investigated, “political actors must not be allowed to exploit the situation and affect the swearing-in date of the 26th Knesset.”