On election day, Netanyahu repeatedly attacked Palestinian-Israeli voters in posts on social media. He accused them of “stealing the election” because they had turned up to vote in record numbers. He accused the “Arab parties” of “serious criminal offences of bribery, threats, violence, forgeries, and the use of prohibited software to mobilise voters”.
In Israel, the parties that predominantly represent Palestinian Israeli citizens are referred to as Arab parties.
Election officials and the police dismissed the claims.
In attacking the legitimacy of the Palestinian vote, Benjamin Netanyahu is maximising the pressure on the Eisenkot bloc not to change its position on doing deals with the Palestinians.
In a political system where the disdain for Palestinian-Israelis is such that they are usually just ignored in the reporting of political events, it would be an exceptionally high-risk move for the opposition parties to change their stance. But the anti-Netanyahu bloc is also aware that the majority of Israelis — Jewish and Palestinian — voted against Netanyahu.
If they do not find a way of forming a government, the veteran Likud leader will win by default: yet another election will have to be called with Netanyahu remaining caretaker prime minister until that happens.