Netanyahu accuses Arab parties of electoral fraud
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Business Day (South Africa)
Benjamin Netanyahu accused Arab parties, without evidence, of electoral fraud contributing to their gains in Israel’s election, an accusation rejected by their leaders. Electoral authorities are investigating while saying the vote’s integrity was not systematically compromised, reports Business Day, citing Reuters.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday accused Arab parties of contributing through fraud to their historic gains in Tuesday’s legislative elections, without providing evidence. Arab leaders rejected the accusations and denounced them as incitement, Reuters reports.
Israeli electoral officials announced an investigation into suspicions of fraud, while saying that the integrity of the election had not been systematically compromised. With nearly 93% of ballots counted, Netanyahu’s nationalist and religious bloc had 53 seats, compared with 48 for the right-wing and centre-left parties grouped around his main rival, Gadi Eisenkot. Neither side reached the 61 seats needed for a majority.
The parties representing the Arab minority, which accounts for 21% of Israel’s population, were credited with 19 seats, an unprecedented result. This advance leaves Eisenkot’s camp with no realistic route to power unless it secures outside support from the United Arab List or Ra’am, an option he has so far ruled out. Ahmad Tibi, one of the leaders of the United Arab List, accused Netanyahu of seeking to prevent cooperation between Arab and Jewish parties.
The accusation came after the Shin Bet, Israel’s domestic security service, investigated possible interference in the Arab vote, announced on 29 October by the Shin Bet. It also extends accusations by Netanyahu’s Likud party against Arab lists after the 28 October election against Arab parties.