Israel elections: Counting ends, Netanyahu bloc wins 53 seats

As many as 5,540,051 votes have been counted as of Thursday, with over 24,000 classified as disqualified votes, according to the Knesset Elections Committee’s website.

Preliminary results put Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s bloc at 53 seats, opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot’s bloc at 48 and Arab parties at 19. A majority requires 61 seats in the 120-member Knesset.

If a new government cannot be formed after multiple attempts, Israel would face a new election early next year.

Results to be published on Wednesday

Netanyahu’s front wins 53 seats. The opposition holds 67 seats, according to Israeli media. Israel’s Central Election Committee announced that counting had been completed. Official results will be published on Wednesday

With the counting on its last leg, Eisenkot accused Netanyahu of “improper influence operation” aimed at seeking to delay the announcement of results. He called for a “comprehensive, immediate and impartial investigation” into suspected “foreign interference.”

Arab-led parties can emerge as kingmakers.

With 99 per cent of ballots counted, Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party is ahead of Gadi Eisenkot’s Yashar party, but still short of a majority.

There is no malpractice: Election Director

Israel’s Elections Committee Director General Dean Livne has called Netanyahu’s claims of widespread fraud baseless and stressed that the polls were conducted lawfully.

“Knesset election integrity was rigorously safeguarded, and to the best of our knowledge, there is no basis for allegations of systematic violations of election integrity,” Livne said.

Palestinan Authority’s Mahmoud Abbas hopes for dialogue with new govt

Palestinian Authority hopes for dialogue with new government

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Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas expressed hope that the incoming Israeli government will pave the way for a restart of peace negotiations.

“For many years now, we have been extending a hand to the Israeli side in order to achieve peace with them, so that Israel and Palestine may live in security, stability and peace,” said Abbas during a meeting with Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides.

“We hope that, immediately after a new Israeli government is formed, we will be able to engage in dialogue together,” he said.

Arab parties defy Netanyahu’s fraud claims, urge opposition allies to join coalition

The Arab political leadership, Joint List, strongly rejected Likud’s “voter fraud” allegations and campaign against them, describing the attacks as a Likud-funded effort to undermine their historic voter turnout.

In a statement on X, Joint List urged Jewish opposition leaders to stop playing into Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s rhetoric, reject far-right influences, and display political courage.

“We won’t be intimidated, we won’t submit, and we won’t give up our right to influence the future of this place and the future of all its citizens,” the statement read.

Disinformation campaign, ridiculous accusations: Qatar denies interference allegations

Qatar denies foreign interference claims, slams ‘disinformation campaign’

Qatar has rejected allegations that it interfered in Israeli elections after Benjamin Netanyahu’s party claimed the elections were meddled with by funding Palestinian citizens.

Qatari Foreign Minister Dr Majed Al Ansari said the ministry categorically denies the allegations and accusations by Israeli politicians who launched “yet another disinformation campaign” against Qatar.

“We categorically deny allegations that Qatar has interfered in Israeli elections or funded any activities intended to influence their outcome. We reject the accusations made by certain Israeli politicians and their contacts in the media, who have launched yet another disinformation campaign aiming to drag Qatar into Israeli political disputes following this week’s elections,” he wrote on X.

They accuse Qatar of buying off Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli political left, and now, in this latest campaign, the Arab vote. If these claims were to be believed, Qatar would apparently own all of Israel, Al Ansari said.

According to the minister, the accusations are ridiculous yet dangerous in equal measure. “The repeated invocation of Qatar in Israeli electoral rhetoric reveals an excessive obsession with our country among certain Israeli political and media figures.”

He asserted that the Gulf nations ought not to be used as a scapegoat for the “political failures of certain Israeli politicians.”

Rather than trying to shift attention onto Qatar, they would be better off focusing on their own voters, improving people’s everyday lives, and undoing the damage they caused in the region, Al Ansari added.

Eisenkot backs probe, commends Netanyahu for finally condemning Qatar

Opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot welcomed Netanyahu “finally” condemning alleged Qatari involvement in Israel amid claims of foreign interference in elections.

“Foreign interference in the State of Israel is unacceptable and grave beyond measure—especially when it involves a state that funds and supports the Hamas organisation,” he said.

Eisenkot said whether in the PM’s office or within the electoral process, foreign involvement is grave. He called for an immediate and impartial investigation from the Shin Bet, the Israeli Security Agency.

“The Shin Bet (ISA) must conduct an immediate, impartial, and thorough investigation into these suspicions. An “iron fist” approach must be taken against anyone found to have compromised—or attempted to compromise—the integrity of the elections.”

Despite commending Netanyahu, Eisenkot in the same post said the prime minister has “grown accustomed to navigating reality through lies, the manipulation of public perception, and the sowing of chaos” to influence the Israeli public.

“The objective is to delay the timely announcement of election results and to manufacture a spurious delegitimization of the 26th Knesset’s operations.”

Israeli President Isaac Herzog has defended the particiapation of Palestinian citizens of the country, amid claims that they “stole” elections and of foreign involvement.

“I am closely following developments in the investigation into the suspicions reported this morning,” he said in statements carried by Israeli media.

“But even in a moment like this, we must avoid tarnishing an entire community that sought to exercise its right to vote and take an active part in democracy,” he added.

Herzog said once the official results are in, he would meet representatives of all the political groups. He urged every citizen to keep an open mind, heart and broaden their perspective ahead of the results.

“I say this to everyone here – to the public and its leaders – ahead of next week’s consultations: keep an open mind, keep an open heart and broaden your perspective.

There is only one question that should be at the forefront of your minds: what is in the best interests of the country?

Golan accuses Netanyahu of ‘ugly delegitimisation campaign’ against Arab voters

Yair Golam leader of the centre-left Democrrats, accused Benjamin Netanyahu of attempting to “undermine the election results through an ugly delegitimation campaign.”

Netanyahu and his Likud party has alleged, withought providing evidence, that the Arab parties or those representing Palestinian citizens of Israel “stole” the election demanding police and Shin Bet to investigate the suspicions.

Golan wrote on X ,”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 delegitimisation 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.”

Israeli security agency Shin Bet chief David Zini reportedly met with Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday and Yashar party leader Gadi Eisenkot on Thursday to discuss the probe into foreign involvement in elections, according to Israeli media.

The Shin Bet allegedly began investigating the matter days before the election.

“During the meeting, he (Eisenkot) was updated on the suspicions regarding foreign interference in the election in Israel. Eisenkot offered his support for the Shin Bet and law enforcement officials for a swift and transparent investigation,” Yashar Party said in a statement.

Sami Abu Shehadeh accuses Netanyahu of racist exclusion of Arab parties

Balad party leader Sami Abu Shehadeh accused Benjamin Netanyahu of ‘racist’ exclusion after the Prime Minister urged Israeli leaders to refuse any coalition with Arab parties.

Sami Abu Shehadeh, who was forced to withdraw his candidacy sais what began with the illegal disqualification of Arab aparties escalated into incitement against Arab parties and the Arab public. “On election day, hundreds of far-right activists armed with weapons were deployed at polling stations in Arab towns in an attempt to suppress voter turnout. Now, this racist blood libel is entering its next phase, fuelled by dangerous accusations.

Netanyahu and his allies are dangerous. They are laying the groundwork to reject the clearest election results Israel has seen in decades.”

He said that Netanyahu as a man charged himself with bribery and fraud was inciting against the Palestinian citizens of Israel.

“In any functioning democracy, those who lose an election accept responsibility and step down. In Israel, the losing side manufactures a racist blood libel and calls on the security forces to use force to overturn the people’s verdict.

You lost. Get out.”

Won’t join Bibi or Tibi: Avigdor Liberman

Avigdor Liberman, leader of the Yisrael Beytenu party, reaffirmed to party activists that he will not join a government led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu or supported by Arab Joint List leader Ahmad Tibi.

Borrowing a famous Likud slogan, he said: “What we said before the elections is even more true after. We will not sit with Bibi or with Tibi.“

Urging patience while political maneuvers unfold, Liberman added that he plans to wait for “the dust to settle” before deciding on next steps. The stance aligns with his long-held refusal to join any Netanyahu-led government or rely on Arab political parties for a coalition

Must protect purity of elections: Israel Police

Amid allegations of foreign involvement in the elections, Israel Police has issued a statement saying it will safeguard the purity of elections with utmost vigilance and that every complaint will be examined.

“Israel Police announces that it will safeguard the purity of the elections with the utmost vigilance, and so it will do. Every complaint received and every suspicion of an offense related to the purity of the elections will be thoroughly examined and investigated without bias,” the police said.

“We will not allow anyone to undermine the purity of the elections and the democratic process. For every suspicion of an offense, the police will act resolutely to investigate the truth,” the statement added.

Golan pushes ‘change’ coalition to unseat Netanyahu

Yair Golan, leader of the Democrats, in an explicit political statement, announced that he is in active negotiations to build an alternative government.

“I intend to dedicate this day to discussions, meetings, and consultations with our partners in the ‘Change Bloc,’ our team of elected representatives for the Knesset, and our coalition negotiation team,” he wrote on X.

The people have spoken, said Golan, noting that 67 mandates represent a clear majority for change. With 61 seats required to form the ruling government in the Knesset, his “67-mandate” combination of the Arab parties’ 19 seats and Eisenkot’s 48-seat bloc points to ongoing negotiations to form a coalition government.

Eisenkot warns against using election interference probe to delay Knesset swearing-in

Addressing the allegations of foreign involvement in the elections, opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot said Israel must guard the purity of the elections with “utmost vigilance” against attempts at interference, spin, and bias. Such suspicions must be investigated thoroughly, he added.

Further, Eisenkot asserted that it is forbidden for any political actor to exploit the situation and influence the swearing-in of the 26th Knesset.

An attack on democracy: Netanyahu’s party on allegations of attempts at foreign interference

Netanyahu’s Likud party said that since the Central Elections Committee chief himself has asked the security agency to investigate allegations of attempts at foreign interference, no Zionist party should cooperate with the Arab parties.

It constitutes an assault on democracy, the party said, which aimed at facilitating a foreign takeover of the Knesset, the Islamisation of Israel, and the ousting of the right-wing government, the party said in a post on X.

It said such attempts would ultimately lead to the retreat and the defeat of the Israeli military across all fronts, particularly against Iran.

“The remarks by Justice Solberg regarding the involvement of foreign entities—who intervened and bribed voters to benefit Arab parties—represent an unprecedented shock,” the party said.

The party had earlier said that it suspects Qatar and Turkey secretly provided funding to organisations working to boost voter turnout among Arab citizens in Israel. A day after the election on Wednesday, Netanyahu accused the Arab parties United Arab List or “Ra’am” and the Joint List of “stealing” the election.

Ben-Gvir, Smotrich call for arrest of Arab party leaders

The Shib Bet (Israeli security agency) must, as early as this morning, arrest the heads of the Arab parties, suspected of involvement with Qatari funds, said Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir.

In a post on X, the Minister of National Security said, “The Shin Bet must, as early as this morning, order the arrest of the leaders of the Arab parties suspected of involvement with Qatari funds—as well as all other suspects in the affair, including figures within the Muslim Brotherhood and its offshoots—provided there are legal grounds for their arrest.”

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich also called for an interrogation of the Arab leaders. Referring to allegations of foreign interference in elections, he said the “foreign Islamist funds” serve as a litmus test for Israel.

“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,” Sohlberg said.

He said that while he personally cannot attest to the substance of the allegations, there is an obligation to investigate them thoroughly. He has asked Shin Bet chief David Zini to do “everything in your power” to investigate the suspicions.

“Only in this way can we ensure public trust in the electoral process and the integrity of the democratic procedure,” Sohlberg said.