Likud and its allies demand action against suspected interference
Likud described the “Ra’am-gate” affair as an earthquake and alleged that the election had been stolen. The party characterized the suspected foreign interference and bribery of voters supporting Arab parties as an unprecedented attack on democracy.
Likud alleged that the objective was a foreign takeover of the Knesset, the Islamization of Israel and the removal of right-wing rule to bring about Israeli withdrawal and the IDF’s defeat on all fronts, particularly Iran.
The party argued that no Zionist party should cooperate with Ra’am or the Joint List, replace the Knesset speaker using votes it alleged had been bought with cash, or establish a government that would endanger Israel. It demanded immediate investigation using all means available to the Shin Bet and police.
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich called for the leaders of the Arab political parties to be investigated.
United Torah Judaism Chairman MK Yaakov Asher, responding to suspicions of election bribery funded by enemy states, said:
“You’ve got it all backwards. You’ve turned us—those loyal to the Jewish people and their Torah—into enemies, while on the other side, suspicions are emerging of vote-buying financed by enemy states. You called it an ‘alliance of those who serve’? Apparently, you forgot to ask whom they serve.”
Shas said:
“The hypocrisy is exposed! After an election campaign filled with incitement and a campaign of venom against Shas and the right-wing bloc—those who love the people and the land—who were falsely labeled the ‘Alliance of Draft Dodgers,’ it has now been revealed this morning that the very same ‘Bloc of Those Who Serve,’ made up of the left and the Arabs, is mired in serious suspicions of vote-buying using funds from enemy states that support Hamas. What a disgrace and a shame!”
Eisenkot demands investigation and warns against delaying the Knesset
Eisenkot’s office said the Yashar! with Eisenkot chairman was in contact with the relevant authorities and receiving updates about suspected foreign involvement.
His office called for every complaint to be thoroughly investigated and for election integrity to be protected against interference, political spin and manipulation. It also warned against allowing political actors to exploit the situation to influence the date of the 26th Knesset’s swearing-in.
In a subsequent statement, Eisenkot said:
“The Shin Bet must investigate the suspicions thoroughly, immediately, and without bias. An iron fist must be used against anyone found to have undermined or attempted to undermine the integrity of the elections. Netanyahu, who has grown accustomed to dealing with reality through lies, manipulation of public opinion, and the spread of chaos, is leading, together with his allies, an illegitimate influence campaign targeting the Israeli public. Its aim is to delay the publication of the election results and manufacture a false narrative of illegitimacy surrounding the work of the 26th Knesset. The attempt to exploit information that has not yet been investigated, and whose details and the scope of the suspicions remain unclear, in order to cast doubt on the official election results—in which the Israeli public voted against the government responsible for the failures—is unacceptable and must be rejected outright.”
