Herzog receives official election results as Eisenkot looks set for first shot at forming government

President Isaac Herzog received the official results of Israel's election for the 26th Knesset Wednesday afternoon from Central Elections Committee Chairman Justice Noam Sohlberg, who also serves as deputy president of the Supreme Court. "There are voices seeking to undermine the election results. This is a real danger," Sohlberg warned during the ceremony alongside Herzog. "It harms the ability to change governments peacefully. We must respect the rules of the democratic game, recognize the voters' decision and act accordingly.

We must not stray from this path, which is fundamental to our strength." He added that serious suspicions had been raised and were being investigated, but that he could not elaborate further. "It is easy to destroy, but very difficult to repair," he said. Sohlberg emphasized that the results must be published despite the investigation. He said he had explained to committee members, based on information provided by the Shin Bet chief, that the election results could not be withheld.

Any allegations established later could be pursued through the legal procedures available for challenging an election. "We must not cast doubt on voting in Arab society, just as we must not cast doubt on any other group in Israeli society," he said. "Disagreements do not have to end when the votes are counted, but the results are binding on all of us." Herzog also addressed the investigation into suspected foreign interference. "I have full confidence in the work of the Shin Bet, the police and law enforcement authorities," he said.

"Any suspicion of subversive external influence on the election results must be thoroughly investigated by the Shin Bet and the police." He urged patience, saying the investigation would be conducted professionally through cooperation among the agencies involved in the special investigative team. The president also addressed tensions between Shin Bet chief David Zini and Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara. "I respect Shin Bet chief David Zini and his work.

I respect Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara and her work. I spoke with both of them this morning," Herzog said. He noted that tensions between the security service and the attorney general's office had arisen before and would arise again, describing them as an inherent feature of a democratic state. Herzog then delivered a pointed warning against attacks on Israel's Arab community. "An entire community must not be vilified," he said.

"Beware of generalizations. I have great respect for Arab society in Israel. I value its contribution to the country in every area of life and its desire to integrate." He condemned the racist remarks heard recently and called on Israelis to reach out to one another despite deep political disagreements. "The elections are over. Now is the time to face reality," he said. Earlier Wednesday, the committee's presidium approved the results by a vote of three in favor, two abstentions and none against.

Sohlberg and representatives of Yesh Atid and Blue and White voted to approve the results, while Likud and Shas abstained. The discussion descended into a shouting match, with Yesh Atid lawmaker Vladimir Beliak declaring: "We have a political Shin Bet chief here who is harming democracy." Shas lawmaker Erez Malul responded: "Attacking the head of the Shin Bet at a time like this harms national security. I hope this affair doesn't turn out like the military advocate general scandal that you covered up."

In the subsequent vote by the full Central Elections Committee, 15 members supported approving the results, two opposed and 14 abstained. The Central Elections Committee announced that it had found no irregularities or evidence of violations of election integrity or changes to the results. The announcement came against the backdrop of Likud's claims of a "stolen election," Shin Bet chief David Zini's request to investigate lawmakers Mansour Abbas and Ahmad Tibi without presenting evidence, and an unusually sharp statement against Zini by Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara.

"In a state governed by law, citizens or elected officials cannot be investigated without evidence justifying such an investigation," she said. Meanwhile, the Shin Bet presented a summary to Central Elections Committee members Wednesday concerning suspicions of foreign involvement in attempts to influence the election. The agency said that "information collected so far indicates that foreign financing and influence activities involving enormous sums of money are a widespread phenomenon affecting thousands of people, possibly even more."

The summary, presented without supporting evidence, added: "The intelligence presented by the service's professional staff indicates prima facie widespread transfers of large sums of money into Israel from foreign countries, originating from parties with hidden and even hostile interests, intended to promote foreign influence. In our assessment, these findings require further intelligence and investigative work. At this stage, we must complete additional intelligence gathering and investigative measures to obtain information that will allow us to connect the dots and determine the extent of the phenomenon with a high degree of certainty and confidence."

Eisenkot expected to receive 48 recommendations, Netanyahu 46 Consultations with representatives of the elected parties are scheduled to begin Wednesday afternoon at the President's Residence. During the meetings, party representatives will recommend which candidate should receive the mandate to form the next government. At the conclusion of the consultations, Herzog will decide who has the best prospects of forming a government and assign that candidate the task.

The meetings will be broadcast live on ynet. Unlike previous rounds, Herzog announced that consultations would begin with representatives of the smaller parties and conclude with those of the larger factions. Representatives of Religious Zionist-Zehut are scheduled to arrive at the President's Residence at 5 p.m. Wednesday to separately recommend their candidate for prime minister. Shas representatives will arrive at 6:15 p.m., followed by Yisrael Beytenu at 7:15 p.m. The consultations will continue Thursday.

In the morning, Herzog will meet representatives of United Torah Judaism, Otzma Yehudit, the Democrats and Ra'am. In the evening, representatives of the Joint List, Yachad, Yashar! and Likud are scheduled to meet with the president. As things stand, Yashar! chairman Gadi Eisenkot is expected to receive the highest number of recommendations, with 48 lawmakers from Yashar!, Yachad, the Democrats and Yisrael Beytenu expected to support him.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to receive 46 recommendations from Likud, Otzma Yehudit, Shas and Religious Zionism. The Joint List, Ra'am and United Torah Judaism have not yet announced which candidate they will recommend to form the next government.