Israel Election Results Finalized Amid Claims of Foreign Interference

Israel's Central Election Commission has completed its vote count, confirming the preliminary results of the recent elections. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's bloc secured 53 seats, while Gadi Eisenkot's opposition bloc garnered 48 seats, with Arab parties collectively winning 19 seats.

Following the final tally, Gadi Eisenkot accused Benjamin Netanyahu and the Likud party of orchestrating a campaign to discredit the election results. Eisenkot stated that claims of potential irregularities emerged only after the ruling bloc failed to achieve a majority.

The Shin Bet security agency has stated that its investigation into alleged election falsifications is based on intelligence regarding possible foreign interference, not on information from political parties or individuals. The agency emphasized that prior to the vote's conclusion, only the Chairman of the Central Election Commission, Judge Noam Solberg, had access to this information alongside Shin Bet personnel.

Separately, the British newspaper The Telegraph reported, citing Iranian officials, that Iran attempted to interfere in Israel's elections and is preparing for cyberattacks targeting the upcoming U.S. midterm elections.

In economic news, the Chinese e-commerce platform AliExpress will launch a dedicated marketplace for Israeli sellers starting November 1st, allowing them to establish virtual stores and sell to local customers. The announcement was made on October 29th.