Gila Gamliel Files Police Complaint Against MK Haim Katz Over Likud Primary Vote Fraud Allegations

Minister Gila Gamliel filed a police complaint against Minister Haim Katz, accusing him of vote count fraud in the Likud party primaries. The complaint came shortly after Katz urged her to take legal action. The dispute escalated following a decision to conduct another recount of ballots in the Ba'ar Ya'akov polling station, which could push Gamliel down to an unrealistic position on the party list.

Gamliel claimed in an interview with Kan Reshet Bet that there are clear signs of corruption and an attempt to steal votes in a dark and corrupt manner. She questioned the credibility of the recount, noting that the election management company, which set up the polling committee and counted the votes, suddenly changed its results. She also alleged that before the Ba'ar Ya'akov recount, 170 votes were added to her tally without explanation, and suggested that ballot tampering might have occurred.

She called for a thorough investigation, including police involvement, stating the suspicions amount to criminal offenses. Despite the tension, Gamliel affirmed her commitment to the Likud party but opposed Katz's hostile takeover attempts, emphasizing her fight is for justice and the party's character.

In response, Katz's office said the official protocol shows Gamliel received 100% of the votes, which they deemed illogical, and that her associates received more votes than the number of voters. They challenged Gamliel to explain who among her team falsified results and invited inquiries to Ba'ar Ya'akov's mayor and election observers. Katz denied any interference or fraud and dismissed the allegations as nonsense.