Jerusalem (AFP) - The head of the Israeli Elections Commission confirmed on Sunday that suspicions of irregularities will not affect the results of the vote that took place on October 27, indicating at the same time that an investigation is currently underway into the matter.

Published on: 01/11/2026 - 20:25

The Internal Security Agency (Shin Bet) began an investigation last week, at the request of the head of the Election Commission, to determine whether the United Arab List party had received money from Qatar, an accusation that both the Gulf state and the party deny.

Since the elections, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his Likud party have been accusing the Arab parties of "stealing" votes, after achieving an unprecedented number of seats, which made them a party that may have a decisive role in forming an opposition-led government.

The head of the Elections Commission, Supreme Court Justice Noam Solberg, along with the head of the Shin Bet and the Attorney General, assured the Israelis in a video message on Sunday that “your choice at the ballot boxes will be respected.”

"The elections for the 26th Knesset were held properly. If there were any irregularities, they are currently under review," he said.

He added that the investigation is still ongoing, and that "doubts remain doubts."

He continued, "We will subject it to a careful examination, and we will delve into the depths of the issue to reach the full truth."

He stressed, "Our position is that even if these suspicions are confirmed, this will not affect the integrity of the electoral process or the results of the elections as a whole."

Since announcing the investigation, the committee has sought to allay concerns about it, with the agency's acting director confirming on the same day that any suggestion of widespread problems was "completely unfounded".

Netanyahu's allegations of irregularities by Arab parties began on election day itself, following a campaign in which he portrayed them as a threat to the country.

This strategy played a role in pushing the Arab minority in Israel, who are the children and grandchildren of the Palestinians who remained in their land after the founding of the state in 1948, and who constitute about 20 percent of the population, to participate in unprecedented numbers.

The head of the United Arab List, Mansour Abbas, denied the allegations of foreign funding, stressing that his party “has absolutely no connection to this issue,” and at the same time welcomed an investigation into the matter.

Qatar described the accusations as "ridiculous and dangerous."

Gadi Eisenkot, Netanyahu's main rival, who is currently studying the possibility of accepting the support of Arab parties to form a government, told the prime minister of "seeking to delegitimize the election results."

Pointing out on Sunday that the allegations would continue to be reviewed with “the utmost seriousness,” Solberg stressed that “these statements should not, in any way, raise any doubts about the Arab community’s vote.”

He continued, "The citizens who went to the polls exercised their democratic right. The high rate of participation in voting is considered a positive thing, both within the Arab community and in all other communities in Israel."

In an initial reaction, the Likud Party considered it “surprising that Judge Solberg indicated the existence of very serious suspicions related to foreign financing, while concluding in advance that these suspicions do not affect the results...at a time when the investigation has not yet been concluded.”

© 2026 AFP

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