Israel's President Accepts Election Results After Fraud Claims

Israeli President Isaac Herzog accepted the certified results of the October 27 parliamentary elections on Wednesday, declaring them legally binding. By doing so, he initiated the formal process to designate a prime minister, a step that moves the country closer to a new administration despite ongoing disputes over the vote's integrity.

The elections commission concluded its review of all fraud claims and found no evidence of irregularities that compromised the election's integrity or altered its outcome. This determination provides the legal basis for Herzog to proceed with government formation. The commission stated that public trust in the electoral process is fragile and difficult to repair once damaged.

Netanyahu's Likud party did not respond to requests for comment regarding the commission's final findings. However, his supporters have repeatedly alleged that Arab-led parties stole the election with foreign assistance. Netanyahu and his allies lost their parliamentary majority in the October 27 vote, while Arab-led factions achieved historic gains in the Knesset.

Herzog began a series of meetings with party leaders on Wednesday night to determine which candidate has the best chance of forming a coalition. Three factions aligned with Netanyahu's religious-nationalist base recommended that he be given the opportunity to form a government. A fourth group, led by a former Netanyahu ally who is now a rival, recommended opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot instead.

Eight additional parties, including two Arab-led factions, are scheduled to meet with Herzog on Thursday. Eisenkot's Yashar party and Netanyahu's Likud party will speak last in the consultations. Herzog has several days to announce his decision, which will trigger weeks of coalition negotiations. If neither candidate can assemble a majority, Israel will hold new elections early next year.

Separate investigations into potential foreign interference are ongoing. The Shin Bet intelligence service reported a widespread influx of substantial funds from foreign states, including hostile nations, but provided no specific evidence for this assertion. Justice Noam Sohlberg, head of the elections committee, described these as suspicions that may have a limited impact on the results even if substantiated. The Shin Bet also sought to interrogate senior Arab lawmakers, a request Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara rejected for lack of evidence.