Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party has alleged, without presenting evidence publicly, that foreign actors helped “steal” Israel’s election by influencing voting. The accusation followed a sharp increase in turnout among Palestinian citizens of Israel, whose Arab parties were projected to win as many as 19 seats - a record that would leave both Netanyahu’s bloc and rival Gadi Eisenkot’s camp short of a majority in the 120-seat Knesset. Israel’s election commissioner referred security-service claims of possible improper foreign funding back to the Shin Bet for investigation, but the allegations remain undisclosed. The Shin Bet chief had said on election day that voting was secure and properly supervised.
Netanyahu’s allies have suggested that Arab voters were influenced by foreign money, with one minister pointing to Qatar; Qatar denies any interference. Arab politicians reject the allegations as a tactic by sore losers, while Netanyahu has called Arab parties traitorous and accused them of backing Hamas. Palestinian citizens make up about one-fifth of Israel’s population, and their increased participation followed years of attacks by far-right politicians, anger over Israeli military actions in Gaza and the West Bank, and frustration with crime and policing in Arab communities. The dispute could hinder efforts by Netanyahu’s opponents to cooperate with Arab parties. Eisenkot supports investigating the claims but warns against using unverified suspicions to undermine official results; President Isaac Herzog has likewise urged an inquiry without casting suspicion on an entire voting community.
Summary generated by AI from the linked article. hn.today is not affiliated with Hacker News or Y Combinator.
Two high-speed trains collided near Wenzhou, China, on July 23, 2011, after a railway signal failure. The crash killed 40 people and injured more than 192, and four cars fell from a bridge into the Ou River. (en.wikipedia.org)
A study of 1,584 data centers found that openings were associated with an average of 1,000 to 1,300 new jobs in their counties. Although each facility employs only a few dozen people directly, local job growth was modest overall. (theconversation.com)
Several universities in Jiangsu are gradually shifting permanent staff salaries to digital yuan wallets, following pilots in other Chinese cities. Staff can transfer funds instantly and without fees to bank accounts, while eligible wallet balances earn interest and receive deposit insurance protection. (chinascope.org)
California High-Speed Rail Authority chief Ian Choudri resigned after a state report found the agency misused nearly $600,000 for consultant travel. The project remains years behind schedule, with only 119 miles of its planned 500-mile route under construction and costs far above estimates. (nytimes.com)
California’s Prop 40 would impose a one-time 5 percent tax on billionaires’ assets to fund healthcare, food assistance, and education. The fight over the measure highlights how billionaire spending can challenge voters’ power and democracy. (thenation.com)
The U.S. government sued Google, alleging it failed to return a former employee to a similar job after military leave. The lawsuit concerns protections for employees returning from military service. (reuters.com)
Today's best Hacker News stories, summarized and screenshotted, one email a day.