Israel vote results confirmed as election commission rejects fraud claims
Netanyahu’s allies refused to back the result, as President Herzog began talks on who should form the next government
Israel’s Central Elections Committee has certified the results of last week’s parliamentary elections after finding no evidence of fraud, a blow to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s efforts to discredit the vote.
Speaking at the official results ceremony at President Isaac Herzog’s residence, Supreme Court Justice Noam Sohlberg said those casting doubt on the election results pose “a real danger” to Israel’s democracy.
The elections committee said a review of 9,069 polling stations found no irregularities that compromised the integrity of the election or changed its results. Its acting director, Dean Livne, said every complaint had been examined individually and the results accurately reflected voters’ choices.
The Shin Bet is reportedly seeking to question four Arab politicians, but has not given prosecutors evidence regarding three of them. Likud accused Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara of blocking the interrogations. In turn, she effectively accused Shin Bet chief David Zini, a Netanyahu appointee, of undermining the rule of law, according to The Times of Israel.