Jerusalem [Israel], October 29 : Israel's Arab political alliance, the Joint List, has accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and right-wing elements of running a coordinated campaign to undermine the legitimacy of Tuesday’s Knesset polls, urging opposition leaders to stop cooperating with what it described as racist allegations of electoral fraud and foreign interference.
In a post on X, the Joint List rejected accusations against Arab parties, asserting that the allegations were intended to weaken their political influence after what it described as a historic electoral outcome.
“We call on the heads of the opposition bloc to stop collaborating with Netanyahu's vile lies and the racist Kahanists, to stop being a puppet on a string in Netanyahu's hands, and to stop promoting his incitement campaign,” the alliance said.
The Joint List alleged that the campaign against Arab parties had begun months earlier, stating, "We've finished apologizing and defending ourselves against vile lies and baseless accusations from elements in the right who refuse to come to terms with the election results. These racist accusations only highlight how much they fear the power of our public. This is a coordinated campaign, funded by elements in the Likud, that began many months ago, aimed at undermining the election results and damaging their legitimacy."
“We went out to vote in unprecedented numbers and achieved a historic outcome, both for our public and for the entire democratic camp. The right launched this campaign with incitement and attempts to disqualify all the Arab parties, continued by sending hundreds of armed far-right activists to polling stations on election day, and in recent days have persisted with this blood libel. No smear campaign will erase the achievement of the Arab public, and no attempt to cast doubt on the legitimacy of our vote will change the will of the voters," it said.
The alliance also called on opposition leaders to demonstrate political courage, arguing that cooperation with Arab parties was essential to forming a government capable of defeating Netanyahu's bloc.
"We won't be intimidated, we won't submit, and we won't give up our right to influence the future of this place and the future of all its citizens. You wanted us small and weak, and you got us big and strong.The excuses are gone. It's time for political courage, not just in words but also in actions. Without us, victory is impossible. But together with us, it's absolutely possible," the alliance said.
The statement comes amid an ongoing investigation into suspected foreign interference in Tuesday's Knesset elections. However, Acting Central Elections Committee Director General Dean Livne has rejected claims of widespread electoral fraud, stating that the vote was conducted lawfully.
According to The Times of Israel, Livne wrote in a letter to Yesh Atid lawmaker Vladimir Beliak that there was no evidence supporting allegations of systematic violations.
“The Knesset elections were conducted lawfully. The integrity of the elections at polling stations was rigorously safeguarded, and to the best of our knowledge, there is no basis for allegations of systematic violations of election integrity,” Livne said.
He clarified that the inquiry requested by Central Elections Committee Chairman Justice Noam Sohlberg concerned classified intelligence that required further examination and had not been substantiated.
Sohlberg had directed Shin Bet chief David Zini to investigate suspicions of improper foreign influence through funding allegedly provided by entities acting against Israeli interests. The agency has been asked to submit its findings within a week.
Netanyahu has described the controversy as an “earthquake”, alleging that foreign entities interfered in the elections in favour of Arab parties and urging Zionist parties to reject cooperation with the Joint List and the United Arab List (Ra'am). The allegations remain under investigation.
Arab political leaders have rejected any connection to the alleged funding. Ra'am chairman Mansour Abbas pledged full cooperation with authorities, while Balad chairman Sami Abou Shahadeh accused Netanyahu and his allies of fuelling hostility towards Arab citizens.
Meanwhile, Qatar has strongly denied claims that it interfered in Israel’s elections, accusing "certain Israeli politicians" of exploiting its name to serve domestic political interests and cover up their own failures.