Beit Shemesh: Attorney-General appealed against election results

The Attorney General filed today (Wednesday) at the Jerusalem District Court, sitting as the Administrative Court a notice of appeal on the results of the local authority council elections in Beit Shemesh Beit Shemesh.

In the notice of appeal, submitted by the Jerusalem District Attorney (Civil) , the Attorney General wishes the Court to make use of the power under Article 73 of the Law of Local Authorities (Elections), 1965 and order the annulment of the election board of the local authority and the local authority head of Beit Shemesh. The appeal was filed by the attorney after he beheld the findings of the police investigation that began on election day due to complaints and information received about the forgery and fraud designed to influence the election results.

The findings of the investigation indicate serious criminal, systematic, deliberate, organized and institutionalized activity which consisted of dozens of people and many financial resources were invested. All this was done deliberately to change the election results, and in thinking that these actions are able to change them.

The extent of serious defects, and taking into account the results of the elections which were decided at short differentials, indicates this activity was to influence the election results in Beit Shemesh.

The most serious findings uncovered in the investigation, teach of a planned, deliberate and systematic attempt of a large-scale, to damage the integrity of elections and affect their results using faction operatives posing as others and voted instead of them for the faction which had sent and for its recommended candidate for mayor. This was a widespread phenomenon which was well-known to some circles in the city. According to the evidence, the activities were planned in advance before Election Day and included solicitation of voters to give their ID cards to activists. ID cards were collected after preliminary phone calls, collecting them directly from the houses by activists or through collection points and meetings in synagogues and other places. On election day, an operation was scheduled for launching of imposters to vote at the polls and returning of IDs to centers and their original owners.

This systematic activity and its results are of critical importance, especially when it comes to an election in which the difference between the two leading candidates for mayor is negligible, about 2.7 % of the valid votes according to the release records, which are only 956 votes.

The statement further noted that in this case, where the deviation from the provisions of the election law is so severe and significant, and there is a real possibility that fake votes influenced the election results, this is where court intervention in the election results and order of their cancellation is needed, to make sure that the results will reflect properly the will of the voters and that elections will not become a tool of seeking to seize power in an undemocratic manner.

Mayor of Beit Shemesh, Moshe Abutbul, commented: "This is a real test for Israeli democracy whether it is valid when it comes to sectors which are not well liked by some segments of Israeli society. Beit Shemesh held an amazingly democratic election, with the highest turnout in the country, with the difference between the candidates being significant. We rely on the court to examine and refute the slander claims.

"Too bad there are those who can not accept the judgment of the voters, and instead choose to continue spreading incitement and hatred from the election campaign, thus trying to drag Beit Shemesh to civil war, while impugning and maligning the residents of Beit Shemesh with imaginary conspiracies.

"Unfortunately, these days we are witnessing the fruits of organized and growing incitement, with council members and public figures from veteran Beit Shemesh who support me, are referred to as 'traitors' and they and their families are attacked and threatened constantly, in demonstrations, billboards and even in schools. It's better we stop one hour earlier, before a disaster occurs, G-d forbid."

'בחדרי' גם ברשתות החברתיות - הצטרפו!