Israeli officials say election results will stand

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 2 Nov, 02:02 · Archive

Israeli officials say the country's election results will be certified despite Benjamin Netanyahu's claims of irregularities.

Benjamin Netanyahu's bid to question the integrity of Israel's election has been weakened as officials say the results will be certified and stand regardless of allegations. The head of Israel's elections committee was shown sitting between the attorney general and the head of the Shin Bet intelligence service for a statement, making clear that even if claims of foreign interference were substantiated, the vote would not be undermined.

Netanyahu's Likud party has alleged, without providing evidence, that Arab-led parties 'stole' the elections in which Netanyahu's bloc lost its majority in parliament. Likud has cited arrests of political activists before and after polling on 27 October, including three arrested with envelopes of cash allegedly for bribing voters and four more arrested two days later. Police said the suspects were connected to the Islamist party Ra'am, which denied involvement. Mansour Abbas, leader of Ra'am, which won eight seats in the 120-member Knesset, denounced the arrests as undemocratic and 'an attempt to influence the election results'.

A judge questioned or rejected police requests for further restrictions on the three initial suspects. One was released subject to unspecified 'conditions', another was ordered to remain on house arrest for eight days, and detention of the third was extended for two days. Netanyahu's parliamentary bloc dropped to 53 seats from a peak of 68 in the outgoing parliament.

How it is being reported

• Israeli officials say elections will standBenjamin Netanyahu's efforts to question the validity of Israel's election have been dealt a blow as the results are due to be certified.The West Australian · 2 Nov, 01:24
• Israeli officials say elections will standBenjamin Netanyahu's efforts to question the validity of Israel's election have been dealt a blow as the results are due to be certified.Perth Now · 2 Nov, 01:24

In this story: Benjamin Netanyahu · Mansour Abbas · Israel · Likud · Ra'am · Shin Bet · Knesset

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