Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has alleged that the Israeli election was 'stolen' by Arab-led parties, following a closely contested vote that has left neither his bloc nor the main opposition with enough seats to form a majority in the Knesset. The allegations, issued by Netanyahu's Likud party on 29 October, come as vote counting continues and coalition arithmetic remains deeply uncertain in Jerusalem.

Likud's Allegations and Demands

Likud issued a sharply worded statement accusing Arab-led parties of electoral misconduct. 'The elections in Israel were stolen by Arab parties that support terror and the elimination of the Jewish state through serious criminal offences of bribery, threats, violence, forgeries and the use of illegal software to mobilise voters,' the party said.

Following the statement, Likud called for a formal police investigation into the alleged electoral offences. The party also demanded an inquiry by Shin Bet, Israel's domestic security agency, into claims of voter fraud, intimidation, and the use of prohibited software to mobilise voters. It further pressed the election committee to respond immediately to the alleged irregularities.

Arab-Led Parties in a Decisive Position

The accusations came after Ra'am and the Joint List recorded a strong electoral performance, with the two Arab-led groupings projected to secure a combined 19 seats — a record showing. Their anticipated gains could give them considerable influence in government-formation negotiations, particularly given that neither Netanyahu's bloc nor the main opposition appears to have clinched a clear parliamentary majority.

Notably, Netanyahu has repeatedly ruled out cooperation with Arab-led parties, making their projected gains a significant complication in coalition calculations. The strong showing by Ra'am and the Joint List has therefore sharpened the political impasse rather than offering an easy path to stability.

Vote Count Still Ongoing

The Central Elections Commission (CEC) announced that counting of 'double envelope' votes — absentee ballots cast largely by IDF soldiers, prisoners, medical personnel, those with medical conditions, and Israeli diplomatic staff abroad — is currently underway. According to local media reports, counting of regular votes has also not been fully completed.

The CEC noted that results have so far been processed from 11,712 out of 12,018 regular polling stations, representing 5,126,759 voters. The remaining polling stations are undergoing standard verification procedures, the commission added.

What Happens Next

With the final seat count still pending, political parties are already assessing their options for forming the next government. The role of Arab-led parties in those negotiations — whether as coalition partners, as a blocking force, or as a factor in a political standoff — is expected to dominate Israeli political discourse in the days ahead. Any confirmed irregularities found by investigators could further complicate and potentially delay the government-formation process.