Netanyahu claims election fraud as Arab parties make historic gains in Israel

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has claimed that historic gains made by Arab parties in this week's national election were partly the result of voter fraud, drawing fierce condemnation from Arab lawmakers who accused him of running an incitement campaign.

The remarks follow Tuesday's general election, which resulted in a political stalemate. Neither Netanyahu's nationalist-religious faction nor the rival bloc led by Gadi Eisenkot secured the 61 seats required for a parliamentary majority. With nearly 93 percent of the ballots counted, Netanyahu's camp held 53 seats while Eisenkot's group stood at 48 seats.

Parties representing Israel's Arab minority, which makes up about 21 percent of the population, were projected to win an unprecedented 19 seats. The surge in Arab voter turnout effectively leaves Eisenkot with no clear path to power unless he receives backing from Arab lawmakers, an arrangement he has publicly dismissed, though analysts note he could attempt to assemble a minority government with their external legislative support.

Netanyahu and his right-wing Likud party claimed that Arab factions had manipulated the vote, calling on police and the Shin Bet domestic intelligence agency to look into allegations of bribery and intimidation at polling stations in Arab communities. Likud said it held proof of wrongdoing but did not release any evidence publicly. In addition, Likud pointed to a probe launched by Central Election Committee head Noam Sohlberg into potential foreign interference, claiming without evidence that Qatar was involved. Qatar denied the allegation.

Israeli election authorities stated on Thursday that while specific claims were being looked into, there was no indication that the integrity of the vote had been systematically damaged. Police confirmed that at least seven individuals had been detained in southern Israel on suspicion of election-related offenses, which public broadcaster Kan reported involved alleged voter bribery connected to the Ra'am party.

Arab leaders pushed back forcefully against the allegations. Mansour Abbas, the head of Ra'am, rejected any wrongdoing by his party, welcomed a thorough inquiry, and accused Netanyahu of trying to delegitimize Arab citizens. Ahmad Tibi, a prominent leader within the Joint List, described the prime minister's rhetoric as an effort to intimidate Eisenkot away from forming any alliance with Arab parties.

Eisenkot condemned Netanyahu's response, arguing that the prime minister was using unverified suspicions to disrupt the post-election process and dispute results unfavorable to his administration. Meanwhile, Israeli President Isaac Herzog urged authorities to investigate genuine claims while warning the public not to tarnish an entire community for participating in the democratic process. Herzog is set to consult party leaders and select a candidate to assemble a coalition once counting is finalized.