Israel on Edge Ahead of October Election as Fears Rise Netanyahu Could Reject Result
Summary
- Israeli civil society groups and opposition parties said they had set up a dedicated "war room" ahead of the October general election to respond to concerns over possible election fraud and damage to electoral fairness.
- War room organizers said their main targets for monitoring include the spread of AI-generated fake news, attempts by Jewish extremists to disrupt voting, and the possibility that the ruling coalition could reject the election result.
- Local opposition parties and civic groups said pressure by Likud on the Central Elections Committee, defiance of Supreme Court decisions, and the prospect of a corruption trial if Netanyahu loses could lead to election-denial unrest similar to the January 6 attack on the US Capitol.
Forecast Trend Report by Period
Israeli civil society groups and opposition parties have set up a dedicated "war room" ahead of the October general election to guard against possible election fraud by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government.
The Financial Times reported on August 2 that dozens of nonprofit groups had been organized into a nationwide election-monitoring network, with legal, media and operational response plans in place.
The effort will mobilize activists to monitor polling stations and respond to reports of illegal activity. Organizers plan to deploy 100,000 observers on election day.
The move reflects concern that Netanyahu, who is trailing in opinion polls, could undermine confidence in the fairness of the vote in a bid to stay in power.
War room organizers identified AI-generated disinformation, attempts by Jewish extremists to disrupt voting, and the possibility that the ruling coalition could refuse to accept the result as key risks to monitor.
They also plan to recruit former senior police officials and examine whether Shin Bet, Israel's domestic security agency, becomes involved.
Opposition parties and civic groups in Israel view pressure by the ruling Likud party on independent institutions as a sign of a constitutional crisis.
After Likud pressured the Central Elections Committee, the agency's director-general resigned. More recently, there have also been instances of refusal to comply with rulings by the Supreme Court, which has final authority over election disputes.
Opposition leader Yair Lapid criticized the government for trying to hold an election while excluding the judiciary.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog also said in a broadcast that the legitimacy of the election could come under threat and expressed support for the Central Elections Committee.
Because Netanyahu would face trial on corruption charges if he loses, some in the opposition believe unrest similar to the January 6 attack on the US Capitol could be repeated in Israel if the result is rejected.
Park Sang-kyung, Hankyung.com reporter highseoul@hankyung.com
Korea Economic Daily
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