Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused political opponents of trying to steal Israel’s national election on Tuesday, after authorities arrested three suspects in connection with an alleged voter-bribery scheme as the country recorded historic turnout.
“They are trying to steal the election from us,” Netanyahu said, pointing to the arrests of three individuals reportedly tied to the Arab Ra’am party, who are suspected of bribing voters in southern Israel. Ra’am has denied any wrongdoing.
Turnout hit 66.7 percent by 6 p.m., well above the 57.7 percent recorded at the same point in the 2022 election, according to the Central Elections Committee. Officials said it was the highest turnout ever measured at that hour in the country’s history.
With polls set to close at 10 p.m. local time, Netanyahu and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich launched a last-minute effort to turn out right-wing voters, including plans to gather dozens of local officials, according to Smotrich’s Religious Zionism party.
National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir canvassed door to door in Bat Yam urging people to vote, and Likud said hundreds of volunteers were going house to house in Lod. Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar said the day would “determine the existence of the Jewish state.”
The push came amid reports of strong turnout in Arab communities and left-wing areas, which worried coalition parties about their ability to mobilize voters and about whether smaller right-wing parties would clear Israel’s 3.25 percent electoral threshold.
Likud and allied parties asked the Central Elections Committee to extend voting past the scheduled 10 p.m. close. Opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot’s Yashar party objected, accusing Netanyahu of setting up grounds to dispute the election results later.
Election officials said anyone already in line when polls close would still be allowed to vote.
Pre-election polls had shown neither Netanyahu’s right-wing bloc nor its rivals with a clear path to a majority in Israel’s 120-seat Knesset, leaving the outcome likely to depend on whether smaller parties cross the threshold. Television exit polls were expected shortly after voting concluded.
