Iran may orchestrate security incidents to sway election, Netanyahu tells i24NEWS

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told i24NEWS' Hebrew channel that Iran could attempt to influence Israel’s election by orchestrating security incidents, while insisting the vote would take place on schedule.

In an interview with Michal Rabinovich, Netanyahu declined to disclose the intelligence behind his assessment. “There will likely be an attempt to interfere in the elections, at least, that is what the signs suggest,” he said.

“They may try to orchestrate security-related incidents in order to convince the Israeli public that the achievements are not all that significant.”

Netanyahu said the prospect of interference would not affect the electoral timetable. “As far as I am concerned, the elections will certainly take place on schedule; however, they are attempting to disrupt, or at the very least, influence the elections.”

He also accused figures including New York’s Zohran Mamdani, Turkey’s Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Israeli politician Mansour Abbas and Palestinian politician Mahmoud Abbas, along with Hezbollah and Hamas, of openly seeking his defeat. Describing them collectively as “Israel’s enemies,” Netanyahu claimed they were all delivering the same message: “Netanyahu must lose.”

“Why do they say this? They are working toward our defeat because they desire the destruction of Israel,” he said.