Israeli opposition says Netanyahu is a liability after Democrats win US Congress

■ Steady

Israel's election commission confirms results as Herzog opens talks on forming a government

On Wednesday, Israeli opposition figures said Netanyahu is a liability after Democrats won the US Congress. On Tuesday, Netanyahu alleged foreign money was used to sway Israel's recent election, which the largest Arab-Israeli bloc called political persecution. Israel's election commission confirmed the results and rejected fraud claims on Tuesday, while Netanyahu's allies refused to back the outcome and President Herzog began talks on who should form the next government.

• The election commission confirmed the vote results and dismissed fraud claims, but Netanyahu's allies did not accept the outcome.
• Netanyahu cited "serious suspicions" that foreign countries spent large sums to influence the election; the largest Arab-Israeli bloc calls this political persecution.
• Neither Eisenkot's bloc nor Netanyahu's alliance won a Knesset majority, leaving Arab and ultra-Orthodox parties as potential kingmakers.
• Parties in Eisenkot's camp have all endorsed him as prime minister, and the open question is whether to join forces with the Arab parties.