Likud leans toward abstaining from vote on Israeli election results

Israel's Likud party representatives are expected to abstain from voting on election results at the Central Elections Committee meeting Wednesday, while seeking to link approval to an investigation into alleged foreign interference. The party has urged its partners to do the same. The far-right Otzma Yehudit party, led by Itamar Ben-Gvir, announced opposition to the results. Committee chairman Judge Noam Sohlberg insisted on publishing official results on time, moving the meeting earlier to 9 a.m. Cairo time for broader discussion, and stated publication is a legal obligation with objections handled by courts. Official results are due to be delivered to President Isaac Herzog at noon, with coalition consultations starting at 5 p.m. The Knesset election was held October 27, and Wednesday marks the end of the eight-day deadline for publishing results, ahead of government formation procedures.