Likud Claims Election 'Stolen,' Demands Probe into Arab Sector Vote Irregularities
Translated & summarized from Kikar HaShabbat by baba
The Likud party has accused Arab parties of "stealing" the recent Knesset elections, citing alleged fraud, bribery, and voter incitement in the Arab sector. The party has submitted hundreds of pieces of evidence to authorities and is demanding a full investigation. These claims were bolstered by the arrest of three Bedouin individuals found with cash and Ra'am ballots. Ra'am has strongly denied the allegations, calling the arrests a suppression tactic. The high voter turnout in the Arab sector, contributing to a significant seat gain for Arab parties, is at the center of the dispute.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Likud claims elections were "stolen" by Arab parties, citing fraud and bribery in the Arab sector.
- Hundreds of testimonies and evidence of alleged irregularities have been submitted to police and Shin Bet.
- Three Bedouin individuals were arrested with cash and Ra'am party ballots, bolstering Likud's claims.
- Ra'am vehemently denies the accusations, calling the arrests a tactic to suppress Arab voters.
- High Arab voter turnout contributed to an unprecedented seat gain for Arab parties in the election.
- The dispute arises amid a close overall election result with no clear majority for any bloc.
The Likud party issued a strong statement Wednesday, the day after the 26th Knesset elections, alleging that "the elections in the State of Israel were stolen by Arab parties that support terror and the annihilation of the Jewish state." The party claims serious criminal offenses, including bribery, threats, violence, fraud, and the use of prohibited software to incite voters, were discovered, particularly at polling stations in the Arab sector. Likud announced it is transferring hundreds of testimonies and evidence to the police, the Shin Bet, and the Central Elections Committee, demanding a thorough investigation and full prosecution.
According to Likud's Director of Election Integrity, Sagi Keisler, between 620 and 775 formal complaints were filed with the Elections Committee on election day. The party cited alleged irregularities in hundreds of Arab polling stations, including thousands of envelopes containing cash and Ra'am party ballots, threats and violence against poll workers, double voting, multiple voters behind privacy screens, significant discrepancies between ballot counts and registered voters, and the use of illegal voter incitement software. Specific incidents reported include the disappearance of 10 sealed envelopes in Peqi'in and a discrepancy of 11 envelopes in Jadeidi-Makr.
These claims gained significant traction following the arrest of three Bedouin residents in the Negev region between Monday and Tuesday. Police seized envelopes containing tens of thousands of shekels in cash, along with Ra'am ballots and other findings from the suspects' homes. One suspect is identified as a senior activist in Ra'am and the "Siyua 48" association. Two of the suspects had their detention extended, and the case was transferred to the fraud unit and Lahav 433.
Ra'am vehemently denied the accusations, calling the arrests "false arrests" intended to suppress voting in the Arab community. Meanwhile, on Wednesday, ministers and Knesset members from the right, including Amichai Eliyahu, Amichai Chikli, Simcha Rothman, and Yitzhak Kroizer, sent a sharp letter to the Chairman of the Central Elections Committee, Judge Noam Sohlberg, and the head of the Shin Bet, David Zinai. They demanded an urgent investigation into Ra'am for alleged "wholesale bribery" and requested a response within 24 hours. The letter also highlighted an "unexplained jump" in voter turnout in the Arab sector to approximately 80%, compared to 53% in the previous election.
This high turnout in the Arab sector resulted in an unprecedented achievement for Arab parties, with the Joint List and Ra'am collectively securing an estimated 17-19 seats according to exit polls. Likud views the high Arab voter turnout as proof of "theft," while opponents argue it is a legitimate success for Arab parties in mobilizing their voters. Likud is demanding an immediate investigation by the police and Shin Bet, and a response from the Elections Committee. To date, these are primarily Likud's complaints and testimonies, not final findings by the authorities.
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