Israel’s Central Elections Committee announced on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, that an exhaustive review of last week’s parliamentary vote revealed no evidence of fraud or irregularities, directly undercutting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s persistent attempts to invalidate the election results. Acting director Dean Livne stated that “The review found no evidence of irregularities that compromised the integrity of the election or affected its results.”
The committee stated that its investigation examined every complaint individually and thoroughly, concluding that the final tallies accurately reflect the choices voters made at the ballot box. The review covered all complaints submitted by political parties and the general public, with results set for formal certification on Wednesday. The findings deliver a sharp blow to Netanyahu and his supporters, who have repeatedly claimed without substantiation that Arab-led parties “stolen” the election, potentially with foreign assistance. The official results show Netanyahu’s religious-nationalist bloc losing its parliamentary majority while Arab-led parties secure substantial gains.
The Battle Over Election Integrity and Interrogations
The Jerusalem Post reported that Attorney-General Gali Baharav-Miara denied a request from Shin Bet chief David Zini to interrogate four Arab politicians regarding alleged foreign election interference, stating that investigators failed to provide necessary evidence against three of them. Netanyahu’s Likud party swiftly accused the attorney-general of attempting to conceal the truth from Israeli citizens. Baharav-Miara responded with a statement effectively accusing Zini of trying to undermine the rule of law.
According to The Times of Israel, Opposition Leader Yair Lapid asserted that recent developments, including the actions of the controversial Shin Bet chief, eliminate any possibility of a unity government led by Netanyahu. Lapid specifically cited the US midterm election results alongside Zini’s actions, saying: “Zini last night and the American election results in the morning have led to one unforeseen consequence: they eliminate any possibility of a unity government led by Netanyahu.” He added: “Israel cannot afford to let him remain prime minister. Democrats chairman Yair Golan echoed those warnings, cautioning that Netanyahu’s continued tenure risks pushing Israel toward international isolation and severe diplomatic friction.”
Religious Zionist party MK Simcha Rothman separately called for an investigation into alleged Palestinian Authority interference in the Knesset election. Meanwhile, a court released a sixth suspect in the Ra’am vote-buying case as Likud’s allegations unraveled.
Parliamentary Math and the Road to Presidential Consultations
With the election results set for formal certification, Israel faces a complex political stalemate. Neither Netanyahu’s bloc nor the rival bloc led by opposition figure Gadi Eisenkot secured the 61-seat majority required in the 120-seat Knesset. While Netanyahu’s coalition dropped to 53 seats, the Eisenkot-led bloc commands 48 seats and could potentially reach a decisive majority of 67 seats with the backing of 19 Arab-party lawmakers.
He must then select the candidate he deems best positioned to forge a governing coalition, initiating weeks of tense negotiations. The deadlock raises the possibility of an alliance between Netanyahu and Eisenkot or between Eisenkot and some of the Arab-led parties. If neither Netanyahu nor Eisenkot manages to assemble a government, Israel will head toward fresh elections early next year.
National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir’s Otzma Yehudit party confirmed it will recommend Netanyahu as the candidate to form the government. Eisenkot, meanwhile, accused Netanyahu of attempting to undermine public trust in the election results and said the opposition bloc would repeal laws that “threaten democracy.”
Meanwhile, parallel inquiries continue. The elections committee confirmed that a separate investigation by the Shin Bet intelligence service into allegations of foreign interference remains ongoing.
Allegations of Fraud and Observer Plans
Since the October 27 vote, Netanyahu and his allies have demanded investigations and arrests over allegations of bribery, foreign funding and fraud, with some calling to cancel the vote entirely. Courts rejected most police requests for tough restrictions, and some suspects have been released.
The Raam party responded: “No smear campaign will erase the achievement of the Arab public, and no attempt to cast doubt on the legitimacy of our vote will change the will of the voters.”
