Israel election commission clears vote of fraud

JERUSALEM. Israel's election commission ruled on Wednesday that no fraud occurred in the general vote held last week. The decision counters Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's repeated claims that the results were compromised.

The commission examined every complaint filed after the ballot and found no evidence of irregularities that affected the outcome. Acting director Dean Livne stated that the investigation reviewed each case individually and thoroughly. He added that the certified results accurately reflect the choices made by voters at the ballot box.

The vote saw Netanyahu's religious-nationalist bloc lose its parliamentary majority. Arab-led parties gained substantial seats in the process. Netanyahu and his supporters had alleged that these groups stole the election, sometimes with foreign assistance. The commission's statement dealt a direct blow to those unsubstantiated claims.

A separate investigation by the Shin Bet intelligence service continues to look into allegations of foreign interference. A spokesperson for the elections committee noted that while the allegations are serious, the body does not believe any interference changed the final tally. Supreme Court Justice Noam Sohlberg, who heads the committee, said Sunday that even if suspicions are proven, the integrity of the electoral process remains intact.

President Isaac Herzog will formally certify the results on Wednesday. He will then begin meeting with each party elected to parliament. After two days of consultations, Herzog will select the candidate he believes is best positioned to form a coalition government. The likely contenders are Netanyahu and opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot.

Neither Netanyahu's bloc nor Eisenkot's alliance secured the majority needed to govern alone. This leaves open the possibility of an alliance between the two rivals or a partnership between Eisenkot and some Arab-led parties. If neither man can assemble a working government, the country will hold a new election early next year.

Netanyahu's campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment regarding the commission's findings.