Netanyahu's Likud accuses Arab parties of having stolen election

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud accused Arab parties on Wednesday of having stolen the country's election, after partial results showed they could play a kingmaking role in forming a new government.

The premier, who has used Arab Israeli parties throughout the election to stoke fears of a Palestinian state, had levelled a similar accusation while voting was underway on Tuesday, urging his own supporters to turn out in force.

His Likud party said in a statement Wednesday that the election was "stolen by Arab parties who support terrorism and the annihilation of the Jewish state", accusing them of "corruption, threats, violence, falsehoods and the use of prohibited software" to encourage voter turnout.

It added that it was submitting testimonies and evidence to the authorities, alleging "thousands of envelopes filled with cash and Raam ballots, threats and violence against polling station officials", and other irregularities.

With more than 85 percent of ballots counted, Netanyahu's right-wing bloc is slightly ahead with 53 projected seats in the 120-member Knesset, and his main rival Gadi Eisenkot's bloc set for 48.

With neither bloc likely to hit the 61-seat threshold for a majority, the two Arab Israeli groupings, Joint List and Raam, find themselves in a potentially decisive position, with a projected 19 seats between them.

Netanyahu on Tuesday had accused Arab parties, and Raam in particular, of "trying to steal the election", citing reports of individuals being arrested with envelopes of cash.

Acting Central Elections Committee director general Dean Livne referred to the incident as "unusual", saying that "police, even before people arrived at the polling stations, caught individuals who tried to bribe voters".

He added that the unidentified suspects were caught near their homes, and that the case was isolated and under investigation.

Police confirmed three people had been arrested overnight on suspicion of trying to buy votes for Raam, saying envelopes and more than 24,000 shekels (around $7,900) in cash were seized.

Raam leader Mansour Abbas accused Netanyahu of "lying and inciting against" his party, and using it "to mobilise right-wing voters".

In his message on Tuesday, the premier had told supporters: "No barbecues, don't go to the beach -- go to the polling station and vote Likud."

The party of Netanyahu's main challenger, Gadi Eisenkot, accused the premier at the time of "laying the groundwork to challenge the results".