Israeli politicians react to Netanyahu’s voter fraud claims

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has alleged, without providing evidence, that Arab parties’ record gains in the election were driven in part by voter fraud, a charge rejected by Arab leaders who accused the premier of incitement.

Israeli officials said the authorities were probing fraud allegations, though the election’s integrity was not systematically compromised.

Analysts and critics say that Netanyahu may be trying to ensure his main rival, Gadi Eisenkot, doesn’t want to consider forming a minority government with Arab assistance.

With nearly 99 per cent of votes counted, Netanyahu’s nationalist-religious bloc held a modest lead in seats over a bloc of right-wing and centre-left parties led by Eisenkot, with both men’s coalitions short of the 61 seats needed for a majority in parliament.

Parties representing Israel’s 21 per cent Arab minority were projected to win an unprecedented 19 seats, leaving Eisenkot’s bloc, which has 48 seats against Netanyahu’s camp of 53, with no path to power without broad Arab backing.

Eisenkot has so far ruled out including the parties in government but his camp could try to form a minority government with Arab support from the outside.

For more on this story: https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/netanyahu-bloc-narrowly-ahead-as-israeli-pm-claims-arab-parties-benefited-from-voter-fraud/5v93saexx

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