‘Bribery, forgery’: Netanyahu says Arabs stole election

• Netanyahu alleges Arab parties stole the Knesset election via fraud
• Likud party submits evidence of bribery and voter intimidation to police
• The outcome remains uncertain as Netanyahu's bloc lacks a majority

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has accused Arab parties of "stealing" Israel's Knesset election through widespread electoral fraud, bribery,

intimidation and ballot manipulation, and has demanded an immediate investigation by law enforcement authorities in a statement following Tuesday's vote. "The elections in the State of Israel were stolen by Arab parties that support terrorism and the elimination of the Jewish state through serious criminal offenses of bribery, threats, violence, forgeries, and the use of prohibited software to mobilize voters," Netanyahu said in a post on X. He said that his Likud party is transferring to the police, the Shin Bet, and the Central Elections Committee "hundreds of testimonies and pieces of evidence" regarding election theft and sought a thorough investigation and prosecution of criminals. "We demand from the Central Elections Committee an immediate response to investigate these criminal offenses that have severely damaged the integrity of the elections in Israel and the election results," he wrote. "This is a serious blow to Israeli democracy and the voting rights of Israeli citizens. The law enforcement agencies must act with an iron fist and in an immediate manner."

Netanyahu bloc short of majority

Netanyahu's bloc remained short of a parliamentary majority as the latest partial election count gave it 53 seats, against 48 for the opposition bloc led by former military chief Gadi Eisenkot, while Arab-led parties were projected to win 19 seats, leaving the formation of the next government uncertain.

According to local media reports citing the Central Elections Committee (CEC), 93 per cent of ordinary ballots had been counted, accounting for 85.6 per cent of the total votes.

At least 61 seats are required for a majority in the 120-member Knesset, Israel's parliament.

Eisenkot's bloc and the Arab-led parties together have 67 seats in the current count, potentially giving them enough parliamentary support to form a government if they can overcome their political differences.