United Arab List leader Mansour Abbas denies election fraud allegations
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- Abbas stated he welcomes official inquiries into the matter and confirmed that his party is prepared to cooperate fully with law enforcement agencies to establish the facts
- The statement follows allegations from Netanyahu’s Likud party and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir
The leader of the United Arab List (Ra'am), Mansour Abbas, on Thursday rejected allegations of voter fraud and illicit foreign campaign financing, declaring that his party has no connection to the accusations and is ready to assist investigators.
In a statement released by his office, Abbas addressed claims leveled in recent days by right-wing officials who alleged that Arab political lists engaged in electoral misconduct and accepted unauthorized foreign financial support.
"The United Arab List has no connection whatsoever to the aforementioned affair or to any other issues, and we affirm that we will cooperate fully with all law enforcement authorities to reveal the truth," Abbas said.
The rebuttal follows statements from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party claiming widespread voting irregularities and foreign interference in Arab localities during the legislative election. National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir also publicly urged the Shin Bet domestic security service to detain Arab party heads over suspicions involving foreign funds.
Addressing the escalating dispute, 'Israel’s' Central Elections Committee (CEC) issued a statement reaffirming the legality and transparency of the legislative contest.
The oversight body stated that the Knesset elections were conducted in full accordance with the law and emphasized that there is no factual basis to support allegations of widespread or systematic tampering with the integrity of the vote.
Law enforcement authorities and election administrators noted that while localized procedural inquiries and complaints are handled routinely, no operational or intelligence findings indicate coordinated fraud.
The dispute unfolds against an unsettled parliamentary map, where elevated turnout among Arab voters and a divided Knesset have left neither the right-wing bloc nor the opposition alliance with an immediate, clear path to a 61-seat governing majority.
