Benjamin Netanyahu has called allegations of foreign interference and voter bribery involving Arab parties the “Ra’amgate affair”.
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir have also demanded an investigation.
Netanyahu’s bloc is projected to hold around 53 seats, the opposition around 48 and Arab-led parties around 19 in the 120-member Knesset.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has described allegations of foreign interference and voter bribery involving Arab parties as an “earthquake”, urging Zionist parties to rule out cooperation with them as coalition negotiations intensify following the October 27 election. The controversy has added to the political deadlock after the election left neither Netanyahu’s right-wing bloc nor the opposition with a clear majority in the 120-member Knesset.
In a statement posted on X on Thursday, October 29, Netanyahu dubbed the alleged scandal the “Ra’amgate affair” and accused foreign actors of attempting to influence the composition of parliament. “The Ra’amgate affair is an earthquake. They stole the elections in Israel!” the statement said.
Netanyahu alleged that the purported interference was intended to advance the “Islamization of Israel” and undermine right-wing rule. He called on the Shin Bet domestic security agency and the police to investigate the allegations immediately.
Ministers Demand Investigation As Allegations Intensify
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who heads the Religious Zionism Party, called for Arab party leaders to be questioned by the Shin Bet, describing the allegations as a test for Israel’s security and political institutions.
National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir went further, calling for the arrest of Arab party leaders suspected of links to alleged Qatari funding, along with other suspects, where there was a legal basis for arrest.
The demands followed Central Elections Committee Chair Justice Noam Sohlberg’s request to Shin Bet chief David Zini to investigate suspicions of foreign interference.
Arab Parties Emerge As Potential Kingmakers
Early projections put Netanyahu’s right-wing bloc at around 53 seats, compared with 48 for the opposition bloc led by Gadi Eisenkot. Arab-led parties were projected to win around 19 seats, potentially giving them significant influence over government formation. A majority in the 120-member Knesset requires 61 seats.
Ra’am, led by Mansour Abbas, and the Joint List have consequently emerged as potential kingmakers. Their support could help the opposition assemble a parliamentary majority, although cooperation with Arab parties remains politically contentious.
The result followed a sharp increase in turnout among Palestinian citizens of Israel, strengthening Arab parties’ representation in parliament. Their seats could prove decisive if neither of the main blocs can secure sufficient support from other parties.
Netanyahu’s demand that Zionist parties rule out an alliance with Arab parties could constrain the options available to rival blocs. While the allegations of foreign interference have introduced another complication into the negotiations, the claims remain unverified, and their eventual political consequences will depend on both the investigation and the coalition-building process.
