Arab-majority Joint List head says party 'cannot be ignored' amid historic turnout

Israel's two largest Arab parties, Raam and the United List, are poised to secure 17 or 18 seats in the Knesset following the recent election, according to exit polls from Channel 12. The projections indicate a significant rise in their representation, with the two parties combined potentially holding either 18 or 19 seats - a stark contrast to their five seats each in the previous parliament.

The United List, comprising the left-wing Arab-Jewish communist party Hadash, the secular Arab nationalist party Ta'al, and the left-wing Palestinian nationalist party Balad, is not expected to join a coalition government, given that alliances with Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud have ruled out their inclusion. However, Raam and the United List could still hold considerable sway in deciding whether a majority bloc can be formed, possibly by supporting an outside government.

The turnout of Israeli-Arabs was notably higher in this election compared to previous years, with Israeli-Arab voters turning out in record numbers. The Central Elections Committee reported that Israeli-Arab turnout was significantly higher than in previous years, with some villages registering over 60% turnout. Despite these positive developments, the Israeli-Arab vote has not been without controversy.

The election integrity headquarters of Likud has reported receiving 620 complaints regarding unusual incidents and suspected irregularities in Arab polling stations, including issues related to voter information and ballot paper handling. Raam and the United List have vehemently denied any involvement in electoral fraud, with Raam stating that arrests made against their activists were baseless and politically motivated.