Israel Election Commission Rejects Netanyahu Party’s Bid to Block Results
Likud Party, led by Israeli Prime Minister Mr. Benjamin Netanyahu, has demanded that the official certification of the general election results be put on hold. The party cited an ongoing investigation into foreign interference in the election as the reason. The country’s election commission and other authorities have clearly rejected this demand.
Reports say the results were due to be finalized and certified on Wednesday. A Likud representative appealed to the Central Election Committee. He said the results should stay on hold until the investigation into suspected foreign interference in the election process ends.
Committee chief and Supreme Court Justice Mr. Noam Sohlberg dismissed the Likud claim. He said plainly that the voting was held legally and in the proper way. He added that there is no room to hold back the results outside the basic democratic rules of elections.
Opposition parties in Israel reacted with deep anger to the Likud move. Yashar Party Chairman Mr. Gadi Eisenkot criticised Mr. Netanyahu and Likud. He said this destructive and violent campaign to question the election results strikes directly at Israeli democracy.
Biyahad Party leader Mr. Yair Lapid also spoke out. He said Likud knows it will lose, so it is spreading conspiracy theories in a bid to destroy democracy.
Meanwhile, amid the political crisis, Mr. Netanyahu has softened his stance a little. He spoke of the chance of forming a broad national government under his own leadership. Still, the distrust and tension over the election have created fresh heat in Israeli politics.
