Netanyahu Bloc Loses Majority as Likud Denounces Election as Stolen

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s political bloc lost its majority in the Knesset following final results released early Friday. The count showed his coalition securing 53 seats in the 120-member assembly, a sharp decline from the 68 seats held at the peak of the previous parliament. The main opposition bloc captured 48 seats, while Arab-led parties won the remaining 19.

Likud, Netanyahu’s party, moved quickly to challenge the outcome. The party issued a statement declaring the election stolen, alleging that Arab-led parties had conspired with foreign entities to seize control of the legislature. Likud claimed the interference aimed to facilitate a foreign takeover and the toppling of the right-wing government, though the party offered no specific evidence in the initial release.

The dispute stems from remarks by Supreme Court Justice Noam Sohlberg, the head of the election committee. Sohlberg stated that serious suspicions of foreign interference had reached him but that he could not verify the claims independently. He directed the Shin Bet security agency to investigate the matter. Israeli media reported that party members specifically pointed to Qatar, a country viewed by many Israelis as a patron of Hamas. Qatar responded by calling the allegations ridiculous and dangerous.

The election commission clarified that the probe is based on classified intelligence. Dean Livne, the acting director general, stated that the investigation does not affect the final results submitted to the president. He emphasized that the matter does not concern any particular sector of the population. The committee also noted in a letter to a member of parliament that allegations of systematic violations were baseless. The Shin Bet has been asked to deliver its findings within one week.

Opposition leaders criticized the move as an attempt to delegitimize the vote. Gadi Eisenkot, the prime minister’s main rival, said Likud was acting because it had lost. He remarked that he welcomed the condemnation of Qatari involvement. Yair Golan, head of the Democrats party, accused Netanyahu of an ugly delegitimization campaign directed against the Arab public. Mansour Abbas, leader of the Ra’am party, said his group had nothing to do with the case but viewed the probe as a response to incitement.

President Isaac Herzog described the situation as a sensitive moment and called for a full investigation. He warned against tarnishing an entire community that exercised its right to vote. The results must be certified and submitted to the president next Wednesday. Until a new government is formed, Netanyahu remains in charge. If no coalition is reached, Israel faces a new election early next year.