Netanyahu, at risk of losing power, steps up attacks on Israel's Arab parties

On Thursday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu alleged without evidence that Arab parties' election victories were due in part to voter fraud. Arab leaders dismissed the charge as incitement. The allegation marks an escalation of anti-Arab rhetoric by Netanyahu and his far-right partners following high Arab turnout in Tuesday's national election, which blocked a smooth path to power for either Netanyahu or his main rival, Gadi Eisenkot.

Israeli election officials confirmed there was a probe into fraud allegations, though they stated the election's integrity was not "systematically compromised." Critics say Netanyahu's heightened attacks on Arab parties may aim to deter Gadi Eisenkot from forming a minority government with Arab support, which could potentially unseat him from power.

Netanyahu hopes to "delegitimise any Arab-Jewish cooperation." Election officials are expected to finish counting votes later on Thursday, as the election produced no clear winner and is likely to trigger weeks of negotiations over a new government. With almost 93% of votes counted, Netanyahu's nationalist-religious bloc leads a bloc of right-wing and centre-left parties, led by Eisenkot, by a narrow margin.

The Arab minority parties are projected to win 19 seats, leaving Eisenkot's bloc, with 48 seats, no realistic path to power without Arab backing. Netanyahu accuses Arab parties of fraud, but they claim it's an attempt to intimidate and scare them into not forming a government with external support from the Joint List or Ra'am. Netanyahu and his allies accused Arab parties of "stealing the vote" and demanded investigations into alleged bribery and intimidation at ballot stations in Arab towns.

Meanwhile, Israel's public broadcaster reported at least seven arrests in the south, where many Arabs reside, on suspicion of voter fraud. The Central Election Committee stated there was no evidence to support claims of systematic harm to the election's integrity. Israeli President Isaac Herzog will now consult with party chairs to choose a candidate to form a government, with the opposition needing backing from the Arab-dominated Joint List, which includes an explicitly anti-Zionist party. Most Jewish leaders have avoided formal alliances with Arab parties since Israel's founding.