The Apartheid Charge Was False. Israel’s Arab Voters Proved It | Opinion

Last week, the author had a peaceful breakfast in Jerusalem alongside Jewish and Arab Israelis who were engaged in normal activities like laughing, talking, and shopping. The same day, the author and their family enjoyed zip-lining in Jerusalem, where a woman fully covered in Muslim dress was also participating without anyone giving it a second thought.

This scene stayed with the author during Israel's election night when a friend from an Arab Gulf state shared that many accuse Israel of being an apartheid state, yet Arab parties had won a significant number of seats. On October 27, Arab citizens of Israel voted at an 80% rate, the highest in decades, with the two main Arab-led parties, Ra'am and the Joint List, on track for 19 seats each, surpassing their previous high of 15 seats in 2020.

Despite accusations of ties to Hamas and the rejection of Israel as a Jewish and democratic state, these claims were ruled unfounded by Israel's Supreme Court, which overturned the disqualification of both parties. Arab citizens have served in the Knesset, occupied high-level positions, and now make up a significant portion of Israel's workforce.

However, Arab Israelis still face challenges such as high crime rates, insufficient public funding, and unequal economic opportunities. The apartheid charge is seen as a smear, used by Israel's enemies to undermine the country's legitimacy.