Netanyahu warns of Arab voter surge in Israel's election; Arab leaders call tactic racist

As Israel witnessed a record-high election turnout, Likud officials expressed concern over voter apathy and the potential failure of traditional calls to mobilize right-wing voters. In strongholds of the opposition bloc and Arab communities, unexpectedly long queues at polling stations raised worries about the party's ability to generate enthusiasm among its base.

Likud officials claimed that, if they had failed to motivate the right-wing public, a last-minute call would only have limited impact, stating, "It seems that this time the public hears our 'wolf' calls and remembers the boy who cried 'wolf.'" Turnout dipped in traditionally Likud strongholds like Bat Yam, where just 23% of voters had cast their ballots by noon.

Low turnout was also reported in Kiryat Shmona, Nof HaGalil, and Kiryat Malachi. Despite national turnout reaching 31.5% by 2:00 p.m., long lines persisted due to a lower number of polling stations in Arab localities compared to previous elections. Likud fears its traditional appeals may no longer resonate with voters, as their efforts to mobilize supporters are hampered by restrictions on tracking voter participation.