Israel Elections Chief Says Inquiry Into Irregularities Will Not Undermine Result
Election chief says 26th Knesset results will stand as investigators examine suspected foreign financing and say the vote reflected voters' will.
- On Sunday, Supreme Court Justice Noam Sohlberg, chairman of the Central Elections Committee, confirmed the 26th Knesset election results stand, stating, "I can tell you with full responsibility: The elections for the 26th Knesset were conducted properly."
- The Israel Security Agency, known as the Shin Bet, launched an inquiry last week into suspected foreign funding of Arab parties, though Sohlberg emphasized that currently, "suspicions remain suspicions" regarding potential interference.
- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his Likud party have accused Arab parties of having "stolen" the vote, a claim following his campaign that cast the Arab minority—about 20 percent of the population—as a threat.
- Raam party chief Mansour Abbas denied the allegations, saying his party had "no connection whatsoever to the affair," while Netanyahu's challenger Gadi Eisenkot accused the premier of "seeking to delegitimise the results of the election."
- The Central Elections Committee will deliver official results to Herzog on Wednesday without changes, as authorities maintain the investigation will not delay the electoral process, which will be "completed as scheduled.
19 Articles
19 Articles
Eisenkot hails election chief’s approval of vote, says Netanyahu trying to ‘delegitimize’ results
Eisenkot hails election chief’s approval of vote, says Netanyahu trying to ‘delegitimize’ results Israeli opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of leading a “campaign of delegitimisation” against Israel’s inconclusive election results, after Central Elections Committee said the vote was valid. “The despicable and malicious attempt to deny the election results, undermine the will of the public, smear an entire…
The two Arab lists in the run were targeted by accusations of electoral fraud relayed by the camp of Benyamin Netanyahu. These parties are suspected of having received funds from Qatar to finance the purchase of votes.
While the camp of Benyamin Netanyahu denounces the purchase of votes through foreign funding that would have favoured two Arab lists, the chairman of the committee spoke on Sunday, 1 November.
Election chief says results valid after Netanyahu claimed Arabs 'stole vote'
Noam Sohlberg said Israel's election was conducted properly and reflects voters' will, stressing that even if suspicions of foreign interference are confirmed, they would not invalidate the overall results
Radio France Internationale
Israel elections chief says inquiry into irregularities will not undermine result
The Shin Bet security agency launched the inquiry last week, at the elections chief's request, to determine whether the Arab Israeli party Raam received money from Qatar -- an accusation both the Gulf state and the party deny. In the days since, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his Likud party have relentlessly accused Arab groupings of having "stolen" the vote, in which they notched unprecedented gains and made themselves potentially instr…
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