Netanyahu’s Likud plans to record Palestinian voters outside polling stations: Report
Haaretz says party has spent millions of shekels on surveillance teams and discussed alleging electoral fraud if it suffers major losses
WASHINGTON (MNTV) – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party is preparing to deploy teams to record Palestinian citizens of Israel outside polling stations during Tuesday’s parliamentary election, according to Israeli newspaper Haaretz.
The report says the party has invested millions of shekels in hiring workers to monitor voting locations in predominantly Palestinian communities.
These teams will film voters and relay information to Likud headquarters in real time.
By operating outside polling stations, the workers would avoid regulations that apply to officially authorized election observers.
Haaretz also reported that senior Likud figures have discussed launching a campaign alleging electoral fraud if the party suffers significant electoral losses.
Sources close to Netanyahu said some party officials have urged him to pursue the strategy and that he is considering it.
However, there is no evidence that Netanyahu personally participated in meetings where the proposal was discussed.
The reported strategy bears similarities to US President Donald Trump’s allegations of widespread election fraud after losing the 2020 presidential election.
A senior Likud official involved in election operations described the party’s accusations of voting irregularities during Israel’s 2022 election as preparation for the latest vote.
“2022 was a trial run for the current election,” the official said.
According to Likud sources cited by Haaretz, footage recorded outside polling stations could subsequently be presented as supposed evidence of electoral fraud.
However, the monitoring teams would have no legal authority to verify voters’ identities or determine whether voting irregularities had occurred.
Meanwhile, Likud observers stationed across the country are expected to report suspicious incidents to a dedicated election fraud monitoring center.
The reported plans have emerged as Palestinian citizens of Israel, who possess voting rights but face longstanding political marginalization and discrimination, participate in an election that could determine Netanyahu’s political future.
Tuesday’s vote is Israel’s first general election since the launch of its genocidal war on Gaza in October 2023.
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