Likud Minister Gilat Gamliel Files Police Complaint Over Primary Election Fraud Allegations

Amid a fierce power struggle within the Likud party, Innovation Minister Gilat Gamliel has filed a police complaint alleging election fraud and violations of election laws during the party's recent primaries. The complaint was submitted by Gamliel's partner, attorney Hovav Damari, following suspicions of irregularities in vote counting and discrepancies between tally sheets and summary reports.

The controversy intensified after Knesset member Eti Atiya surpassed Gamliel in the Likud list rankings, prompting accusations of vote manipulation. Earlier, party veteran Haim Katz dismissed the fraud claims and sarcastically directed complainants to the Lahav 433 police unit in Lod, a move that Gamliel's camp took seriously, leading to the formal complaint.

Investigations revealed significant inconsistencies, such as Atiya receiving zero votes on some tally sheets but 127 on summaries, and another Knesset member having 94 votes recorded on tally sheets but only three on summaries. Additional concerns were raised about the security company Reshef Bitahon, which managed the voting process and its connections to the Likud management and Haim Katz.

These revelations have deepened suspicions of serious irregularities that could directly affect the final rankings within the Likud list and the composition of the Knesset members. Several Likud MKs have reviewed protocols at Metzudat Ze'ev to verify the discrepancies, highlighting the ongoing turmoil within the party ahead of the upcoming elections.