Israel's electoral commission finds no evidence of fraud as coalition talks begin

Commission finds no irregularities

The Central Electoral Commission said on Wednesday, 4 November, that its checks found no irregularities or evidence that the integrity of the 27 October election was compromised or that the results were altered. Its review covered the minutes of 9,069 polling stations, about 75% of the 12,018 ordinary stations, compared with 5,100 (43.5%) examined after the 2022 election. Parties and lists filed 2,452 review requests covering 1,350 stations, while citizens sent 1,239 complaints about 750 stations. Ballots and voter rolls were checked in detail at 350 centres. Dean Livne, the acting director of the commission, said every complaint had been examined individually, and that where corrections were needed they were made from the official minutes. Livne also said the results reflect accurately what voters chose at the ballot box.

2022 election5,100

2026 election9,069

2022 election

5100 stations

2026 election

9069 stations

Data from the article text

Netanyahu's fraud claims

Netanyahu and his allies repeatedly claimed, without presenting evidence, that Arab-led parties had stolen the election, possibly with help from foreign actors. The Likud said on 28 October that it had submitted hundreds of testimonies and evidence of irregularities, including allegations of cash in envelopes alongside Raam ballots. The commission and police dismissed those allegations at the time. On the following day the commission's chairman, Supreme Court Justice Noam Sohlberg, wrote to Shin Bet chief David Zini asking him to investigate possible foreign interference in the vote. In the evening of 3 November, Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara ordered Zini to present any material supporting the fraud allegations, an unusual rebuke according to 20minutes. The Shin Bet inquiry is still ongoing, and the commission said that even if the suspicions were confirmed, they would not affect the integrity of the vote as a whole.

Seats leave no majority

The election took place on 27 October and no bloc reached the 61 seats needed for a majority in the Knesset. Likud won 27 seats, and Netanyahu's bloc holds 53 seats, while the opposition bloc led by former army chief Gadi Eisenkot holds 48. Arab-led parties won a record number of seats, which places them in a position to decide who can govern, according to 7sur7. Netanyahu, 77, has served 19 years as prime minister, more than any predecessor, and has promised to finish the job in Iran if he wins. His far-right ministers Itamar Ben Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich have presented plans to expel Palestinians from Gaza and the West Bank.

Netanyahu bloc53

Eisenkot opposition bloc48

Netanyahu bloc

53 seats

Eisenkot opposition bloc

48 seats

Data from the article text

Consultations and the 11 November deadline

President Isaac Herzog began consultations with the parties on Wednesday and plans to conclude them on Thursday evening, 5 November, though he has not ruled out extending them. He has until 11 November to choose the candidate he judges best placed to form a government. Netanyahu and Eisenkot are the most likely candidates, according to Mediafax. Neither bloc has a majority, so the options include an alliance between the two rivals or an understanding between Eisenkot and some Arab-led parties. Herzog, whose role is largely ceremonial, wants to avoid new elections and reportedly prefers a national unity government combining both blocs.