Israeli election panel finds no evidence of vote irregularities amid fraud allegations

Israel's Central Elections Committee said Wednesday it had found no evidence that the integrity of last week's parliamentary elections had been compromised, rejecting concerns raised amid allegations of fraud and foreign interference.

The conclusion followed a review of complaints submitted by political parties, candidate lists and members of the public, the Jerusalem Post reported.

The committee was expected to present the official results to President Isaac Herzog later Wednesday before their publication in accordance with the law.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and right-wing parties in his bloc have alleged fraud and manipulation in voting within Israel's Arab community.

On Monday, Netanyahu's Likud party called for an urgent committee meeting to examine suspicions of foreign interference before the results were certified.

Opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot, head of the Yashar party, accused Netanyahu and Likud of seeking to undermine public confidence in the electoral process.

The committee's announcement came ahead of consultations between Herzog and parliamentary factions, scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday, after which the president is expected to select a lawmaker to form the next government.

According to the completed vote count, Netanyahu's bloc secured 53 seats in the 120-member Knesset, compared with 48 for the Eisenkot-led opposition bloc and 19 for Arab parties.

Eisenkot has secured the backing of the 48 opposition lawmakers after the Democrats, Together and Yisrael Beytenu parties agreed to recommend him for the mandate.

The two Arab lists are also expected to endorse him, potentially bringing his support to 67 lawmakers, six more than the 61 required for a parliamentary majority.

However, securing the presidential mandate would not guarantee that Eisenkot could assemble a governing coalition, given political differences among the parties.

Once appointed by the president, the lawmaker will have 28 days to form a government, with a possible 14-day extension.