Netanyahu’s Likud plans to film Arab voters outside Israel’s polling stations: Report

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party plans to deploy teams to film Arab voters outside polling stations during Tuesday’s general elections, potentially using the footage to support claims of electoral fraud if the party suffers major losses, Haaretz daily reported.

The newspaper said Likud has spent millions of shekels recruiting and paying workers to monitor polling stations in Arab communities, record voters and report developments to party headquarters in real time.

The teams, established in recent weeks, will operate outside polling stations rather than inside them, allowing them to avoid the strict regulations governing official election observers.

According to the report, senior Likud officials have also discussed launching a campaign alleging that the elections were rigged if the party suffers significant losses.

Sources close to Netanyahu said some party officials have been pressing the prime minister to adopt the strategy and that he is considering the proposal.

However, there is no evidence that Netanyahu personally attended meetings where the plan was discussed.

READ: Israel votes Tuesday in closely contested election as Netanyahu faces challenge from Eisenkot

The proposed campaign resembles US President Donald Trump’s allegations of widespread electoral fraud following his defeat in the 2020 presidential election.

A senior Likud official involved in election operations described the party’s allegations of voting irregularities during Israel’s 2022 election as preparation for the current vote.

“2022 was a trial run for the current election,” the official said.

Likud sources also indicated that footage collected outside polling stations could be circulated as purported evidence of electoral fraud, despite the teams having no legal authority to verify voters’ identities.

Separately, party observers across Israel are expected to report unusual incidents to a dedicated election fraud monitoring center.

​​​​​​​The allegations come as Israelis vote in the country’s first general election since Israel launched its genocidal war on the Gaza Strip in October 2023.

READ: Israeli media reports deepening rift between Netanyahu and army chief over Iran preparations ahead of elections