Israeli electoral authorities on Wednesday rejected allegations promoted by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of fraud by Arab parties, who could hold the key to removing him from power after a divisive vote.
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who → reject → vote
President Isaac Herzog will at noon (1000 GMT) officially receive the results of the October 27 election as he decides whether to give Netanyahu or his rival Gadi Eisenkot the first chance to form a government, with neither commanding enough votes alone.
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neither → receive → votes
The Central Elections Committee said it had conducted an audit of 9,069 polling stations following complaints and was confident that the announced results “accurately reflect the will of the voters”.
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results → say → voters
“All complaints submitted by political factions have been reviewed and there were no findings indicating harm to the integrity of the election,” it said in a statement.
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it → submit → statement
Netanyahu has repeatedly alleged fraud by Arab-majority parties, pointing to the arrests of several people with envelopes of cash on election day and later claiming lawmakers received money from Qatar — allegations that have been levelled at his own aides in the past.
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that → allege → past
Late on Tuesday, Israeli Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara said she would not question anyone without evidence after reports that the head of the domestic security service Shin Bet, a Netanyahu ally, had asked to interrogate Arab parties.
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head → say → parties
Netanyahu’s Likud party lashed out at her, saying that she was trying to “obstruct the investigation and to cover up this serious case of manipulation of the electoral process by foreign actors”.
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she → lash → actors
Eisenkot, a former military chief trying to unite centrists and the centre-right and turn the page on Netanyahu’s long, polarising reign, accused Likud of attempting a “pogrom against democracy”.
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Eisenkot → try → democracy
He had earlier warned Netanyahu against launching a new war with his close ally US President Donald Trump against Iran, which could help the Israeli prime minister push for a unity government or to run out the clock until new elections.
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minister → warn → elections
No unity government
Yair Lapid, a former prime minister and key force in the opposition bloc, pointed to the midterm elections in the US in which Democrats resoundingly trounced Trump’s Republicans.
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Democrats → point → Republicans
The Shin Bet “outbursts” paired with the US election results “eliminate any possibility of a unity government led by Netanyahu”.
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outbursts → pair → Netanyahu
Netanyahu, Israel’s longest-serving prime minister who has been in power on and off for nearly two decades, has called for a “broad national government” — with himself at the top.
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who → serve → top
Herzog’s statements have raised speculation that he could sound out leaders on a possible unity government, hoping to bring stability in a country sharply split after three years of war and over Netanyahu’s hard-right politics.
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he → raise → politics
Herzog holds a largely ceremonial role as head of state, but carries the decisive vote on who will have the first chance to try to be prime minister — a process that could last weeks or even months and may end in failure and new elections.
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that → hold → failure
After officially receiving the results, Herzog begins two days of consultations with parties, starting with the smaller ones.
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Herzog → receive → ones
Neither Netanyahu nor Eisenkot holds the 61 seats needed to secure a majority in the 120-member parliament.
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Netanyahu → hold → parliament
Netanyahu’s bloc has an edge, with 53 seats as opposed to Eisenkot’s 48.
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bloc → have → 48
Eisenkot could reach the threshold if he were to ally with parties from the Arab minority, whose seat count surged to 19 on outrage against the actions and rhetoric of Netanyahu’s government.
But some in the opposition have baulked at relying on non-Jewish lawmakers’ votes.
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some → reach → votes
has said he wants to encourage “fresh thinking” and avoid a new election.
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he → say → election
Once Herzog tasks someone, they will have 28 days to form a government, with a potential 14-day extension.
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they → task → extension
If no one succeeds, Herzog will give the mandate to someone else.
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Herzog → succeed → someone
If that too fails, a majority of lawmakers could come together to nominate someone within 21 days — or else Israel heads to new elections.
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Israel → fail → elections
It took Netanyahu, who at the time had a better showing by Likud, 58 days to form a government after the last election in November 2022.
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who → take → November
Israel held five elections between 2019 and 2022 after repeated deadlocks.
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Israel → hold → deadlocks
Netanyahu faces corruption charges and the risk of jail if he loses power and, with it, immunity.
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he → face → it
Yousef Jabareen, the head of the largest Arab-majority party in the next parliament, told AFP this week that the opposition needed to accept “political reality” and team up to remove Netanyahu.
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opposition → tell → Netanyahu
Netanyahu has persistently warned Jewish Israelis that the opposition will work with Arab parties, which he accuses of backing Hamas.
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he → warn → Hamas
The Aporia
