Herzog receives official election results; says foreign interference suspicions must be investigated
Herzog asked the factions for “originality and creativity, courage and goodwill,” saying he is not asking anyone to give up their core values
President Isaac Herzog received the official results of the elections to the 26th Knesset from Central Elections Committee Chairman Justice Noam Sohlberg. The president said he would begin consultations on tasking a member of Knesset with forming the government.
“I hereby receive the official results of the elections for the 26th Knesset as you have declared them, Your Honor,” Herzog said. “I adopt them and confirm their receipt in accordance with the law.”
Herzog thanked Sohlberg, Acting Director General Dean Livne and the committee’s staff, saying they fulfilled their mission “faithfully, with professionalism and thoroughness.” He said citizens turned out in great numbers for “a true celebration of democracy.”
For his part, Justice Noam Sohlberg made a point to highlight the ongoing election fraud investigation. Sohlberg explained that “Casting doubt on the election results poses a real danger. The suspicions require a thorough investigation,” but reassured that while some of the suspicions are serious, the relevant parties are taking action.
“At this stage, these are merely suspicions,” Solhberg said, adding that “the scope of the potential impact stemming from these suspicions is limited” and that they “do not cast doubt on the voting of the Arab community.”
Herzog stated he has full confidence in the work of the Shin Bet, the Israel Police, and the law enforcement authorities. “Any suspicion of subversive foreign interference in the election results must be fully investigated by the Shin Bet and the Police,” the president said, calling for patience.
Herzog also addressed Arab society in Israel, saying, "an entire community must not be smeared. Beware of generalizations,” and condemned “the coarseness and racist expressions that we have heard recently.”
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The factions’ representatives were to begin arriving at the President’s Residence on Wednesday evening, the anniversary of the assassination of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin 31 years ago, Herzog said. “There is no place for violence among us. Not physical and not verbal,” he said.
Citing the Kol Nidrei prayer, Herzog said he expects the factions to understand that “not every commitment and promise can be fulfilled” in the current reality, in which “there is no clear winner after the elections.” He said the law grants the president very broad discretion and that he intends to hold “open, frank, and pointed discussions,” with additional rounds of consultations if necessary.