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Akbar Novruz

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Israel's Central Elections Committee has formally approved the results of the parliamentary elections and the allocation of seats in the Knesset, rejecting allegations that irregularities had compromised the outcome.

The decision, announced on Wednesday, followed an extensive review of thousands of complaints and polling records. According to the committee, the examination uncovered no evidence sufficient to undermine the validity of the election results.

The approval clears the way for the official results to be submitted to Israeli President Isaac Herzog, marking the beginning of the formal process of forming a new government.

Under Israel's parliamentary system, political parties will recommend candidates to the president, who will then select a lawmaker to attempt to form a governing coalition.

The committee's decision follows a period of political tensions, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party publicly alleging that the election had been stolen.

The allegations were accompanied by an inquiry into possible foreign interference in the electoral process.

Controversy also emerged after Shin Bet chief David Zini requested an investigation into Arab lawmakers Mansour Abbas and Ahmad Tibi without publicly presenting supporting evidence.

The request prompted criticism from Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara, who challenged the basis for the proposed investigation.

The committee's presidium initially approved the election results by a reported margin of 3–2, with Chairman Justice Noam Sohlberg and representatives of Yesh Atid and Blue and White supporting the decision, while representatives of Likud and Shas abstained.

Despite the disputes surrounding the election, the committee's formal approval allows the process of government formation to proceed.

The next stage will involve consultations between President Herzog and parliamentary parties to determine which candidate should receive the mandate to form a coalition government.