Newsletters
Israeli police reportedly arrested three suspects with tens of thousands of shekels on Tuesday over an alleged vote-buying plot to pay citizens to vote for the United Arab List (Ra’am) in the Negev, as Israelis voted in a closely fought general election.
The suspects, from Segev Shalom and Ar’ara, allegedly prepared envelopes containing ballots and cash in advance in the Bedouin communities of the Negev, police said.
"Three suspects were arrested; the envelopes were seized with the ballots, and cash was also seized. This is a suspected attempt to disrupt the purity of elections and the democratic process," police said.
Ra’am leader Mansour Abbas said after voting that his party had received complaints from some areas and that authorities had detained three of its activists.
Abbas called the detentions "obstruction of the elections and democracy." "These people are prominent activists of the United Arab List and must be released," he said, urging officials to act for their immediate release.
It was not specified whether the detained activists were the same suspects held by police.
"Let’s end this fascist and racist government," Abbas said. "Today we are at a turning point."
He said Ra’am needed eight seats to keep the right-wing bloc in opposition for four years.
"I think Ra’am is in a very influential position and will be able to complete the next coalition’s count to ensure the formation of a second change government," Abbas said.
Yisrael Beytenu said a voter at polling station 103 in Beersheba received a half-open envelope that already contained a Likud ballot.
The party said polling secretaries confirmed the incident, which was recorded in the station’s protocol, and filed an urgent complaint with the Central Elections Committee.
The Haredi Public party said its activists were assaulted and campaign stalls vandalized in Bnei Brak, Beit Shemesh and Beitar Illit, and filed a police complaint.
The far-right Amcha Yisrael party said it contacted the Central Elections Committee after reports that its ballots had been removed or turned over at several polling stations. Protesters also vandalized a polling station in Beit Shemesh, putting up signs urging people not to vote.
"We are a nation of lions who, on October 7, went out to save the country when there was no government. Today, October 27, this nation of lions is going out to save the country once again," said Together party leader Naftali Bennett.
National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir warned that an opposition win would produce "a Mansour Abbas government," while the far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said, "We do not gamble with our security, our existence or our identity."
"The era of Netanyahu and ultra-Orthodox rule must come to an end," said Yisrael Beytenu leader Avigdor Liberman.
Joint List leader Yousef Jabareen said the Arab public "believes in its ability to bring about change,” predicting “an unprecedented turnout among our community."
"I hope this will be a true holiday for democracy," President Isaac Herzog said after voting. "No one can be allowed to spoil or undermine it."
Some 7.3 million people are eligible to vote, and most polling stations close at 10:00 p.m.
Final results could take days, as the vote-buying arrests add to tensions on election day.
Set as preferred source
Set as preferred source
3 min read
