Mansour Abbas accuses Netanyahu of lying about electoral fraud

O chief Israeli-Arab candidate, Mansour Abbas, leader of the United Arab List (Raam), competing in today’s Israeli legislative elections, accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of “lying” by stating that the Arab minority attempted to commit electoral fraud.

“Benjamin Netanyahu is lying and making incendiary statements against the United Arab List, using them as a tactic of fear to mobilize right-wing voters and take them to the polls,” Abbas said in a video message.

In the morning, after voting, Netanyahu accused some Arab parties of trying to “steal elections” after the announcement of the arrest of people suspected of buying votes.

The leader of the Likud, who throughout the election campaign aimed at Israeli Arab parties, said that “three senior leaders” of the Raam party were arrested in the south of the country in possession of envelopes with money.

Acting Director-General of the Central Electoral Commission, Dean Livneh, reported an “unusual” incident during a press conference, indicating that “the police had intercepted”, even before the opening of the voting assemblies, “individuals trying to buy votes”.

Livneh added that the suspects, whose identity was not disclosed, had been detained near their homes and that an investigation was ongoing.

“No other such incident has been recorded in the country,” he said.

Police later confirmed that three people had been detained overnight on suspicion of attempting to bribe voters to vote for the Raam party, a political force that has not yet reacted to the charges.

“ Investigators in the southern district seized more than 24 thousand shekels (about 6,950 euros) in cash, including envelopes with previously prepared money, as well as notes, during searches for the residences of suspects ", said the police, in a statement.

“We cannot leave this battle in the hands of the left and the Arab parties who want to end the Jewish state. Therefore, no barbecues, do not go to the beach: they will vote for Likud ", said Netanyahu.

The Raam, which hopes to win eight seats in the Knesset, the Israeli parliament, composed of 120 Members, can play a decisive role in the formation of an opposition-led coalition if the election results are as close as expected.

Netanyahu's accusations were also criticized by the Yashar party, by Gadi Eisenkot, the main rival of the Likud leader, who argued that the Israeli Prime Minister is “preparing the ground” to contest the results in case of defeat.

“Netanyahu is panicking and preparing the ground to contest the results. We need to overcome the Likud with a considerable margin, because only then there will be no room to sow doubts”, reads in the statement of the Yashar party.