Likud claims stolen vote in Israel

Israelis voted on Tuesday in a national election that determined the composition of the 120-member parliament, known as the Knesset. Initial exit polls suggested Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faced a setback, a finding now confirmed by final counts released early Friday morning.

The results show Netanyahu's bloc winning 53 seats, a drop from the 68 seats it held at its peak in the previous legislature. The main opposition bloc captured 48 seats, while Arab-led parties secured the remaining 19. These parties, representing citizens of Palestinian descent who make up 20% of the population, achieved a historic level of representation in the assembly.

Likud, Netanyahu's party, quickly amplified claims that the vote was stolen by Arab-led groups with foreign assistance. The party issued a statement without supporting evidence, alleging the interference aimed to facilitate a foreign takeover of the Knesset and topple the right-wing government. Israeli media reported that party members specifically accused Qatar, a nation many Israelis view as a patron of Hamas, of orchestrating the plot.

Qatar denied the allegations, calling them ridiculous and dangerous. The country's denial came as the head of the election committee, Supreme Court Justice Noam Sohlberg, informed the Shin Bet security agency that serious suspicions of foreign interference had been brought to his attention. Sohlberg said he could not verify the claims independently but requested an investigation due to their serious nature.

The election commission stated the probe is based on classified intelligence. Acting director general Dean Livne warned that reports about the investigation were entirely unfounded and did not affect the final results. The committee requested findings from the Shin Bet within one week. The security agency said its inquiry was not meant to cast aspersions on the population that voted in a democratic manner.

Opposition leaders criticized the rhetoric. Gadi Eisenkot, Netanyahu's main rival, said the accusations were an attempt to delegitimize the results because Likud lost. He noted with irony that Netanyahu was finally condemning Qatari involvement in the state. Eisenkot indicated he is open to joining forces with Arab-led parties if conditions are met, a move that would be rare and politically risky.

The results must be certified and submitted to President Isaac Herzog next Wednesday. Herzog called the current situation a sensitive moment and urged for a full investigation. He warned against tarnishing the community that exercised its right to vote. If no government is formed after multiple attempts, Israel will face a new election early next year.