Eisenkot accuses Netanyahu of trying to sabotage Israeli election

By Zein Khalil and Rania Abushamala

JERUSALEM / ISTANBUL (AA) - Israeli opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday of trying to sabotage Tuesday’s election and undermine its integrity.

The accusation followed Netanyahu’s decision to summon Police Commissioner Danny Levy to a meeting on the force’s preparations for the Oct. 27 polls, an unusual move because the Central Elections Committee is responsible for overseeing the electoral process.

“Netanyahu is working to sabotage the election,” Eisenkot, leader of the opposition Yashar party, wrote on the US social media platform X.

“Summoning the police commissioner to a meeting immediately before the elections, in a blatant violation of proper governance and in a manner that threatens the integrity of the elections, constitutes dangerous interference that must not be allowed,” he added.

Addressing the prime minister directly, Eisenkot said: “Netanyahu, immediately stop any involvement or interference by you and your people in the electoral process. Do not dare to undermine the integrity of the elections. We will stand as an impenetrable barrier against any such unlawful attempt.”

He also urged opposition voters to support his party, saying that only Yashar, which he described as much larger than Netanyahu’s Likud party, could provide the full legitimacy needed to “save Israel and replace Netanyahu.”

Netanyahu is Israel’s longest-serving prime minister and has led the current government since late 2022. His coalition has been described as the most right-wing in the country’s history. Israel was established in 1948 on Palestinian land.

Earlier Sunday, Eisenkot’s party demanded Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara and Central Elections Committee Chairman Noam Solberg stop Netanyahu’s intervention in the election and cancel his meeting with the police commissioner.

The party warned that Netanyahu was using the unusual meeting to raise unfounded fears about election integrity and undermine public confidence in the results in advance.

Later, Israel’s Channel 12 reported that the meeting between Netanyahu, Levy and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir had taken place by telephone rather than in person.

Opinion polls show the Israeli opposition ahead of Netanyahu’s camp, but neither side appears to have enough support to form a government without an alliance with Arab parties in the Knesset.

Arab Israelis make up more than 20% of Israel’s population of over 10 million.

Netanyahu and Eisenkot both oppose the establishment of a Palestinian state, despite UN resolutions supporting a two-state solution.

Of the 193 UN member states, 160 recognize the state of Palestine, according to the Palestinian Foreign Ministry. Palestine is also a member of more than 100 international organizations and treaties.

Rania R.a. Abushamala