Eisenkot says Netanyahu bid to discredit Israel vote has 'failed'

Israel's Yashar party leader Gadi Eisenkot said on Sunday that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's campaign to overturn last week's parliamentary election results has failed, describing the attempt as "despicable and malicious" amid allegations of foreign interference that remain unsupported by public evidence. "The despicable and malicious attempt to disown the election results, challenge the public's will, smear an entire community and drag Israel into new elections has failed," Eisenkot wrote on the social media platform X, adding, "Only someone who realizes he has lost would be prepared to wage such a crude delegitimization campaign, even at the cost of further damaging public trust in state institutions."

Central Elections Committee Chairman Justice Noam Sohlberg affirmed the integrity of the vote earlier on Sunday, stating that claims casting doubt on the overall results were "incorrect" even as potential irregularities are examined. He told the Yedioth Ahronoth daily that even if substantiated, such suspicions would not undermine the election's overall integrity, speaking in the presence of Shin Bet chief David Zini and Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara. Eisenkot welcomed the remarks, saying the results were "firm and clear" and urging the public to ignore "background noise and political maneuvers that change every hour."

Allegations of foreign interference

Netanyahu and his Likud party have alleged Qatari interference through funding intended to increase turnout among Arab voters in the elections for the 26th Knesset, claiming to possess recordings and other materials documenting bribes including cash and fuel vouchers offered in exchange for votes. The party has not publicly presented evidence establishing Qatari interference or widespread electoral fraud, characterizing the alleged activity as "election theft" without providing documentation to support the assertion.

Qatar rejected the accusations on Thursday, calling them a "new disinformation campaign" aimed at drawing it into Israel's internal political disputes. United Arab List leader Mansour Abbas also denied allegations of attempts to unlawfully influence the election through foreign funding, dismissing the claims as baseless.

Electoral deadlock

With all votes counted, Netanyahu's bloc secured 53 seats in the 120-member Knesset compared with 48 for the opposition camp led by Eisenkot and 19 for Arab parties, leaving neither main bloc with the 61 seats needed for a governing majority. Final turnout stood at 77.9%, the highest since 1999, according to the elections committee, leaving Israel facing a political impasse as the government's formation depends on agreements between blocs.

The official results are due to be submitted to President Isaac Herzog on Wednesday, ahead of consultations with parties represented in the Knesset on whom to task with forming a government — a process complicated by divisions over the possibility of relying on Arab parties' support.