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Israel Election Deadlock Sparks Coalition Maneuvers, Foreign Interference Probe · Israel Today: Ongoing War Report

• 0:08
  Speaker 1: You're listening to Israel Today ongoing war report. I'm Noah Levi.
• 0:12
  Speaker 1: We begin with the political landscape in Israel following the
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  Speaker 1: recent election results. Neither Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's bloc, nor
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  Speaker 1: the opposition bloc secured the 61 seats needed for a
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  Speaker 1: parliamentary majority in the 120-seat Knesset. Netanyahu's bloc garnered 53 seats,
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  Speaker 1: while the four main opposition parties won 48. This has
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  Speaker 1: placed significant pressure on opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot to form
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  Speaker 1: a government, with Arab parties now potentially central to coalition talks.
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  Speaker 1: Protesters gathered outside Eisenkot's home, urging him to cooperate with
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  Speaker 1: Arab parties, while a recent poll suggests a majority of
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  Speaker 1: voters for the opposition party's support, including the Ra'am party. However,
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  Speaker 1: forming such a coalition faces hurdles, as parties like Avigdor
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  Speaker 1: Liberman's Yisrael Bey Tehnu have stated opposition to partnering with
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  Speaker 1: Arab parties. Adding another layer, the Shin Bet is investigating
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  Speaker 1: suspicions of foreign funding and interference in the election, with
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  Speaker 1: allegations that money from abroad influenced voting in Arab communities,
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  Speaker 1: according to Israeli media reports. Central Elections Committee Chairman Justice
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  Speaker 1: Noam Solberg has instructed the Shin Bet to look into
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  Speaker 1: these allegations, which have led to briefings for Prime Minister Netanyahu,
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  Speaker 1: Gadi Eisenkot and opposition leader Yair Lapid. The Shin Bet
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  Speaker 1: has clarified that its intelligence was gathered independently and did
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  Speaker 1: not originate with a political party. Turning to a significant
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  Speaker 1: hate crime conviction, Mohamed Sabri Solomon, an Egyptian national, has
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  Speaker 1: pleaded guilty to federal hate crime and explosives charges in Colorado.
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  Speaker 1: This plea relates to a gasoline bomb attack on a
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  Speaker 1: pro-Israel rally in June of last year, which injured several
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  Speaker 1: people and led to the death of 82-year-old Karen Diamond.
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  Speaker 1: Solomon admitted to carrying out the attack because of the
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  Speaker 1: group's actual or perceived Jewish religion, and Israeli national origin.
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  Speaker 1: He is already serving a life sentence for state murder
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  Speaker 1: charges and now faces a potential life sentence plus 50
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  Speaker 1: years in the federal case. In regional security news, Yemen's
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  Speaker 1: Iran-aligned Houthis claimed responsibility on Thursday for attacks targeting Saudi Arabia.
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  Speaker 1: The group stated it struck the Ra's Tanura oil refinery,
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  Speaker 1: the Rabig refinery, an Aramco facility in Abqaiq, and airports
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  Speaker 1: in Riyadh and Dammam. Saudi authorities have not yet confirmed
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  Speaker 1: these Houthi claims. Meanwhile, US military leaders are assessing options
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  Speaker 1: for Iran. US Central Command Chief Admiral Brad Cooper briefed
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  Speaker 1: President Donald Trump on military options for Iran, the Wall
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  Speaker 1: Street Journal reported, citing US officials. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth
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  Speaker 1: and Joint Chiefs Chairman General Dan Kane were also present.
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  Speaker 1: This briefing comes amid reports of increased US regional military preparedness.
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  Speaker 1: including the dispatch of additional defences to Israel and the
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  Speaker 1: movement of troops from vulnerable bases. Iran has previously warned
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  Speaker 1: it would attack a variety of US and Gulf state
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  Speaker 1: targets if the US were to launch strikes. For continuing
• 3:11
  Speaker 1: coverage of antisemitism around the world, listen to Antisemitism, watch
• 3:15
  Speaker 1: from Clockwork Media. Find it at clockworkmedia.org slash watch. I'm
• 3:19
  Speaker 1: Noah Levi, thank you for listening to Israel Today ongoing
• 3:22
  Speaker 1: war report. Stay safe and informed. Follow Israel Today. ongoing
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  Speaker 1: war report in your podcast app so you don't miss
• 3:29
  Speaker 1: the next update. Keep in mind that this AI-generated report
• 3:33
  Speaker 1: may contain occasional inaccuracies, so consult multiple sources for a