Israeli opposition leader Yair Golan on Wednesday accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of attempting to overturn last week’s parliamentary election results to remain in power despite his defeat.
Golan, who heads the Democrats party, described developments in the last 24 hours as a serious warning sign for Israeli democracy.
"Netanyahu lost. He refuses to recognize the results, and he is trying to carry out a coup and seize power by force,” Golan wrote on X.
He alleged that police arrested political activists without warrants and that the Shin Bet domestic security agency attempted to question senior elected officials without presenting evidence.
Golan also accused the outgoing government of refusing to recognize the election results, saying the developments were interconnected.
"Every additional minute that the outgoing government holds the centers of power is a danger to Israeli democracy,” he warned, urging opposition parties to form a new government as quickly as possible, restore the rule of law and prevent state institutions from being used for political purposes.
Golan also warned the heads of the police, Shin Bet and the Mossad intelligence agency: "You must be loyal to the law and the State of Israel, not to a prime minister, not to a party and not to any political interest.”
He described the situation as a security and democratic emergency, urging opposition leaders not to waste time forming a government.
The remarks came one day after Israeli opposition leaders agreed to recommend Yashar party leader Gadi Eisenkot to President Isaac Herzog to form the next government.
The agreement was reached during a meeting on Tuesday in Herzliya, west-central Israel, attended by Eisenkot, former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, Yisrael Beytenu leader Avigdor Lieberman, Golan and opposition leader Yair Lapid.
The leaders pledged to replace Netanyahu’s administration with a "national emergency government” and immediately begin drafting coalition agreements.
They also accused Netanyahu and his Likud party of conducting a campaign to undermine the legitimacy of the election results and the Central Elections Committee.
The opposition leaders agreed to coordinate parliamentary steps to replace the outgoing government and prevent another election.
Israel’s Oct. 27 parliamentary elections left Netanyahu’s bloc with 53 seats in the 120-member Knesset, while opposition parties secured 48 seats. The Arab parties won 19.
Neither Netanyahu’s bloc nor the opposition parties independently secured the 61 seats required for a parliamentary majority.
If all opposition and Arab lawmakers recommend Eisenkot, he could receive support from 67 lawmakers during Herzog’s consultations.
The opposition parties, however, have yet to agree on a governing coalition, with Lieberman ruling out participation in a minority government dependent on Arab parties.
Under Israel’s parliamentary system, the president consults elected parties before appointing a lawmaker to form a government.
The designated lawmaker initially has 28 days to form a government, with a possible extension of up to 14 days.
The government remains in office until a new administration wins the Knesset’s confidence.
The newly elected Knesset is scheduled to convene its inaugural session on Nov. 10. Opposition parties are also seeking to replace incumbent Speaker Amir Ohana of Netanyahu’s Likud party.
