Feiglin Demands Freeze on Israel's Election Results Pending Shin Bet Inquiry

The Zehut leader wants publication and certification halted while suspected foreign interference is investigated, and says a new election should follow if the suspicions are substantiated.

Zehut party leader Moshe Feiglin demanded Thursday evening that Israel freeze the publication and certification of its election results until the Shin Bet completes its inquiry into suspected foreign interference.

In a letter to Central Elections Committee chairman Justice Noam Sohlberg, Feiglin argued that the results should not be finalized while investigators examine suspicions concerning the integrity of the vote. His demand extends beyond a temporary delay: if the investigation substantiates the suspicions, he wants the entire election annulled and Israelis sent back to the polls.

Feiglin Cites 1,183 Complaints

At the center of Feiglin's appeal is what he described as a record of 1,183 documented complaints involving election irregularities, including violence, intimidation and fraud.

Feiglin presented them as grounds for a broader examination of how voting was conducted and whether polling officials could carry out their duties properly.

He also challenged an instruction attributed to the committee's director general to prevent congestion at polling stations. According to Feiglin, that instruction weakened voter identification checks at precisely the point where strict oversight was needed.

News1 reported that Feiglin's letter drew on complaint figures from Likud's election integrity operation. The outlet also reported that the Central Elections Committee rejected claims of systematic violations of election integrity.

A Demand to Rerun the Entire Election

Feiglin said that, if the suspicions are substantiated, disqualifying individual polling stations would be insufficient. He called instead for a fresh nationwide vote under strict supervision by the Israel Police and Border Police.

Feiglin argues that interference on a systemic scale requires a response of the same scale.

Sohlberg Seeks Evidence as Inquiry Continues

The appeal follows Sohlberg's request that Shin Bet director David Zini investigate suspected improper influence through foreign funding and suspected election bribery involving foreign actors.

Israel Hayom reported that Sohlberg instructed the security service to seek evidence that could substantiate or refute the suspicions. He also made clear that he could not attest to their validity.

With deadlines approaching for the final results and election appeals, Sohlberg requested findings, if available, within a week.

Herzog Calls for a Full Investigation

President Isaac Herzog also addressed the inquiry Thursday, saying the suspicions must be investigated fully and anyone responsible for offenses held accountable. He cautioned against casting suspicion on an entire community that had exercised its right to vote.

Feiglin framed his intervention around the legitimacy of the parliament that emerges from the election. He wants the questions resolved before the result becomes final, with a nationwide rerun if the evidence supports his allegations.

"Israel's next Knesset will not be convened under a cloud of illegitimacy," he said.