Israel's election board rejects fraud claims and certifies results

Israel's Central Elections Committee certified the final results of last week's national vote on Wednesday. The body rejected allegations of widespread voter fraud and foreign interference that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had promoted. The certification confirms that the far-right coalition lost its governing majority. This development clears the path for the main challenger to begin forming a new government.

Gadi Eisenkot, the former military leader who ran against Netanyahu, criticized the prime minister's efforts to retain power. Eisenkot described the actions as a "pogrom against democracy." He accused Netanyahu of discrediting valid votes and using security forces against parties led by Palestinian citizens of Israel. Eisenkot has secured the support of all Jewish Israeli opposition parties. He is expected to receive a mandate to form a coalition from President Isaac Herzog as early as Thursday evening.

The certification process followed a dispute over the use of the Shin Bet security service. Hours before the election board presented its findings, Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara blocked a demand to interrogate four senior politicians from Palestinian-led parties. The Shin Bet chief, David Zini, had ordered the questioning and sought to classify the investigation as a security file. That classification would have allowed stricter conditions, including preventing the politicians from having legal counsel.

Baharav-Miara stated that she had not been presented with any evidence of wrongdoing to justify the interrogations. "In a country governed by the rule of law, neither citizens nor elected officials can be interrogated without evidence that justifies doing so," she said. The Shin Bet chief was handpicked by Netanyahu for the role. The move to target politicians such as Ahmad Tibi drew sharp criticism from legal and political circles.

Noam Sohlberg, the chair of the Central Elections Committee, addressed the remaining questions about the vote. He acknowledged that some "suspicions" were still under investigation. However, he stated that these minor issues did not cast doubt on the election as a whole or justify delaying the announcement of results. The committee's statement noted that the review found no evidence of irregularities that compromised the integrity of the election.

President Isaac Herzog received the final results on Wednesday. He used the occasion to condemn recent racist attacks on Palestinian citizens who voted in high numbers. Herzog said he holds Arab society in Israel in great respect and values its contribution to the country. He emphasized the desire of Palestinian citizens to integrate into Israeli life. His remarks came as he prepared to choose which politician would have the first chance to build a coalition.

Netanyahu had presided over a campaign targeting Palestinian citizens, who make up about 20% of the population. He began promoting claims of mass fraud on election day. Those claims are now formally rejected by the election authorities. The prime minister's camp continues to argue that the security services are essential for investigating potential irregularities. Eisenkot warned that attempts to undermine trust in the results would likely continue.

Eisenkot said that state employees in defense, law enforcement, and the civil service serve the state, not a single leader. He warned against abusing authority for political gain. "Woe to anyone who abuses their authority and role for political considerations," he said. The new government formation process may take weeks as parties negotiate their terms. Palestinian-led parties have stated their priority is removing Netanyahu from power.

Journalist Nadav Eyal suggested that the public should expect further attempts to dismiss the election results. He noted that the groundwork is being laid for potential conflict over the legitimacy of the vote. Tibi, one of the politicians targeted by the Shin Bet, commented on the situation with a social media post. He referenced recent Democratic victories in the United States and the high turnout in both countries. "People arrived in droves at the polling stations, cast a slip, and went home," Tibi wrote.