Police find no proof Likud says vote was stolen

Israeli police officials determined on Thursday that the Likud party's assertion of a stolen Knesset election lacks factual support.

The dispute began on Wednesday when Likud released a formal accusation that Arab political groups secured victory through widespread criminal activity. The governing party alleged that bribery, intimidation, and ballot manipulation were prevalent during the vote. Likud demanded that law enforcement open an immediate investigation into these specific charges.

The party’s statement included detailed claims. It reported that thousands of cash envelopes were found next to ballot slips for the Ra'am party. Likud also cited instances where polling station committee members faced threats and violence. Additional allegations included voters entering booths in groups, the use of duplicate identities, and a mismatch between the number of envelopes and registered voters. The party further claimed that prohibited software was used to mobilize voters.

Police issued a statement on Thursday morning to address these points. The force noted that election day concluded with only a small number of unusual incidents regarding electoral integrity, a level comparable to previous cycles. The statement emphasized that no investigative or intelligence evidence exists to support the claims. Police said their own work had turned up nothing to back the accusations.

The allegations remain unverified. No public evidence has shown that Arab parties systematically manipulated the results. The current situation places the claims of a major political party against the official assessment of the national police force.