Israel Election Deadlock Fuels Dispute and Coalition Talks

Israel’s Central Elections Committee chief, Noam Sohlberg, said the country’s election results would remain valid even if suspicions of foreign interference were substantiated. In a video statement on Sunday alongside the heads of the Shin Bet and the attorney general, Sohlberg said such suspicions would not undermine the integrity of the electoral process or the results as a whole. Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu’s Likud party questioned the outcome, alleging without presenting evidence that Arab-led parties had “stolen” votes and received Qatari funding. Qatar rejected the accusations, describing them as a disinformation campaign. Netanyahu’s main opposition, Gadi Eisenkot, accused him of running an organised effort to delegitimise the election results. The article also reports that police released two of three political activists arrested before polls opened. The activists had been carrying envelopes of cash that police said were allegedly intended for voter bribery. One was released under unspecified conditions and another was placed under house arrest. Police said the suspects were connected to the Arab-led Ra’am party, which won eight seats. Ra’am leader Mansour Abbas condemned the arrests as undemocratic and said they were an attempt to influence the election results. The election has produced a parliamentary deadlock. Netanyahu’s bloc won 53 seats, while Eisenkot’s opposition bloc won 48. Three Arab-led parties collectively secured a record 19 seats. An alliance between those parties and Eisenkot could command 67 of the 120 seats, enough for a majority, although cooperation with Arab parties remains politically unacceptable to many Israelis. The results are due to be officially certified during the week. President Isaac Herzog will then nominate a candidate to try to form a government.

Israel’s Central Elections Committee chief, Supreme Court Justice Noam Sohlberg, said an investigation into alleged foreign funding connected to the recent election would not undermine the vote’s result. The Shin Bet began the inquiry at Sohlberg’s request after claims that the Arab Israeli party Raam received money from Qatar. Both Raam and Qatar deny the allegation. Sohlberg said the election was conducted properly, that any irregularities were under review, and that even confirmed suspicions would not call the integrity of the process or the overall results into question. He also stressed that the investigation must not cast doubt on the Arab community’s vote. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his Likud party have accused Arab political groups of having “stolen” the election. Likud said a “dark cloud” would remain over the results until the investigation concludes. Netanyahu’s main rival, Gadi Eisenkot, welcomed Sohlberg’s statement, accusing Netanyahu of trying to delegitimise the results and smear an entire community. Qatar described the funding accusations as “ridiculous and dangerous.” The October 27 election produced no parliamentary majority. Netanyahu’s bloc won 53 seats, while Eisenkot’s camp secured 48; 61 are needed to form a government. Raam and the Joint List together won 19 seats, a significant gain that could make Arab parties pivotal in efforts to form an opposition-led government. Eisenkot is considering whether to accept their support, despite opposition from some potential coalition partners. Analysts of the campaign noted that Netanyahu’s attacks on Arab parties helped spur record turnout among Israel’s Arab minority, which makes up about 20 per cent of the population. Separately, a court released one suspect arrested in a suspected vote-buying case involving Raam, extended another suspect’s police custody, and placed a third under house arrest. Police had said the three were found with envelopes and cash. Raam denied involvement. The judge reportedly cited serious suspicions against the person placed under house arrest, while noting that the case had not strengthened since the arrest; he also criticised police for failing to provide new evidence to justify continued detention of the released suspect.

Israel’s inconclusive election has left both Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s right-wing coalition and the opposition short of a majority, setting up negotiations that could determine who forms the next government. The opposition, led by former army general Gadi Eisenkot, could reach 67 seats in the 120-member Knesset if it works with Arab parties, which won a record 19 seats. Arab politicians have offered to help end Netanyahu’s government, but relying on their support would be controversial: some potential opposition partners had ruled it out during the campaign, and US Ambassador Mike Huckabee said it would be troubling to include politicians who had not condemned the October 7, 2023 attacks. Formal government-formation steps begin after President Isaac Herzog receives the certified election results on Wednesday. He will consult party leaders before asking a candidate to form a government, who will have 42 days to do so. Herzog has urged parties to find “creative solutions” and avoid a stalemate that could lead to another election. Informal negotiations are already under way, and former prime minister Naftali Bennett has said he will support Eisenkot. Netanyahu has alleged that Arab parties “stole” the election, but election officials and senior authorities said the vote was conducted properly and that its results reflect voters’ wishes. They noted that inquiries into possible wrongdoing would not overturn the overall result. Likud rejected the officials’ statement and continued to question the outcome. A key unresolved question is whether Arab representatives will join a coalition or support a minority government without taking ministerial positions. Meanwhile, speculation that Israel and the United States could resume strikes on Iran after their respective elections has raised concerns that military action might affect coalition negotiations. Opposition leader Yair Golan argued that Netanyahu lacks the moral legitimacy to launch a new campaign while serving as caretaker prime minister, and called for an alternative government to be established quickly.