By TheDailyNewsHub Reporter
Israeli President Isaac Herzog has formally received the certified results of the October 27 parliamentary elections, condemning racist rhetoric directed at Arab citizens and urging political parties to compromise to form a new government.
Herzog received the results on Wednesday, November 4, from the Chairman of the Central Elections Committee, Supreme Court Justice Noam Sohlberg, during a ceremony at the President’s Residence in Jerusalem.
The results followed their approval by the Central Elections Committee, which certified the outcome despite objections and abstentions by representatives of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s outgoing coalition.
The October 27 parliamentary elections have significant implications for Netanyahu’s political future and the formation of Israel’s next government. TheDailyNewsHub previously examined the contest in its report, Israel Election: Netanyahu’s Leadership Faces Crucial Test.
Addressing the ceremony, Herzog expressed confidence in the Shin Bet, the police and other law enforcement agencies to investigate allegations of possible foreign interference and electoral irregularities.
He, however, warned against using the investigations to stigmatise Israel’s Arab population, stressing that an entire community should not be blamed for allegations involving individual suspects.
“I condemn the vulgarity and racist expressions we have heard recently. There is no place for them toward any demographic in Israel,” Herzog said.
His remarks followed accusations of possible electoral fraud involving Arab-majority communities, including allegations of vote-buying in the Negev and suspected foreign funding channelled to the Joint List of Arab parties. The allegations remain under investigation and have not been established as facts.
Justice Sohlberg also cautioned against attempts to undermine confidence in the election results, describing efforts to cast doubt on their legitimacy as a danger to Israeli democracy. He maintained that even if the suspicions were confirmed, their potential impact would be limited and insufficient to change the overall outcome.
The October 27 election left no political bloc with a clear majority in the 120-member Knesset, creating uncertainty over the formation of the next government.
Herzog said political parties must recognise that they may not be able to fulfil every campaign promise if they hope to reach an agreement and avoid another election.
He is expected to consult representatives of the elected political factions before deciding which lawmaker should receive the mandate to form a government.
The consultations come amid deep political divisions in Israel following years of conflict and disagreements over security, governance and the country’s political direction.
Herzog called on party leaders to demonstrate goodwill and flexibility, saying the priority should be forming a stable government capable of addressing the country’s pressing challenges.