Netanyahu demands probe into alleged foreign election interference

Central Elections Committee confirms integrity of ballot results

The Central Elections Committee, led by Supreme Court Justice Noam Sohlberg, has stated that it does not believe any foreign interference affected the election results. The committee announced that the certified results accurately reflect voters’ choices at the ballot box.

The committee has denied allegations of vote theft or foreign funding, stating it found no evidence to support them.

Justice Sohlberg, who presented the election results to President Herzog, warned against efforts to cast doubt on the results and emphasised that a peaceful transfer of power is a fundamental principle of democracy. "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," Justice Sohlberg said.

The investigation into foreign funding is limited to whether foreign entities influenced voter mobilisation and will not affect the certified election results.

Parliamentary deadlock follows inconclusive October 27 election

Certified results released by the Central Elections Committee showed Netanyahu's bloc with 53 seats and the opposition with 48 seats, both falling short of the 61‑seat threshold. The committee scheduled the presentation of these certified results to President Isaac Herzog on 4 November.

Arab citizens, who comprise over 20% of Israel's population, secured their strongest electoral performance by winning 19 seats in the Knesset.

Netanyahu warns against government reliant on Arab parties

He added that opposition leaders were ignoring the concerns of most Israeli citizens and were attempting to create a minority government that relies on Islamist parties. In a video posted on X, he urged the formation of a wide‑ranging national government headed by Likud. He argued that a government reliant on Islamist parties would be unable to shield Israel from its foes.

He further accused Islamist parties of seeking to eliminate Israel’s Jewish character and weaken its defensive capabilities.

He cited remarks from representatives of those parties that praised martyrdom and described Hamas as a charitable organisation. He charged that they devoted electoral gains to Nukhba terrorists imprisoned in Israel. He added that opposition leaders were putting political interest ahead of national interest by preferring their own agendas over the concerns of most Israelis.

He praised Justice Solberg’s decision and called for reaching "the full truth, without cover‑ups and without delays". He also highlighted the need for transparency, stating "We must get to the full truth, without cover‑ups and without delays".

President Herzog initiates coalition formation consultations

President Isaac Herzog began formal consultations with parliamentary factions on Wednesday to determine which candidate holds the best chance of forming a government. In the 120-seat Knesset, a coalition requires at least 61 seats, yet neither the governing nor opposition blocs secured this threshold in the recent election.

Herzog has called on political leaders to reach a consensus and avoid the prospect of another election early next year. "In the current reality, in which there is no clear winner after the elections, I ask for originality and creativity, courage and goodwill, so that the State of Israel emerges the winner," Herzog said.

The President is currently meeting with party representatives to decide who will receive the first mandate to assemble a government. Once appointed, the chosen candidate will have 28 days to form a coalition, with a potential 14-day extension.

Meanwhile, Yashar! leader Gadi Eisenkot is actively seeking the presidential mandate.

The Arab-led political groups, which secured 19 seats in the recent election, are also part of these consultations. The Joint List, comprising Hadash, Ta'al, and Balad, holds 11 seats, while the United Arab List, or Ra'am, led by Mansour Abbas, holds eight. Ra'am has decided to recommend Eisenkot to the President.

He confirmed that a Shin Bet investigation into alleged foreign interference is ongoing, noting that the agency is led by David Zini, a Netanyahu appointee.

Opposition and Arab parties respond to allegations

Opposition figures and Arab-Israeli parties have responded sharply to the ongoing allegations of foreign interference in the election. Yair Golan, a leader in the main opposition alliance, accused the outgoing government of abusing its power by arresting political activists without court warrants and having the Shin Bet question senior elected officials without evidence.

The Joint List denounced these actions as "political persecution" and stated they would not allow the vote of the Arab public to be delegitimised.

Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara rejected a request from the Shin Bet on Tuesday to interrogate other Arab party leaders, citing a lack of evidence. This decision reportedly angered allies of the Prime Minister.

The rights group Adalah reported that he is being questioned on charges of "contact with a foreign agent".

Netanyahu and his far-right allies have continued to target Arab-Israeli politicians, who could facilitate an Eisenkot-led government if they join the opposition.

Netanyahu has repeatedly made claims that Arab-led parties "stolen" the election, potentially with foreign assistance, and has called for a comprehensive investigation. The Prime Minister's campaign did not provide a comment when asked about these allegations. Meanwhile, opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot has gained the backing of the Arab party Ra'am as he works to form an alternative coalition.