Israeli Arabs, Palestinians view path to coalition through political clout - analysis
With record representation in the Knesset, Arab voters see a chance to influence Israel’s government and improve their daily lives, but opposition leaders remain divided over accepting their support.
The Israeli parliamentary elections held on October 27 have left Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a precarious position, as neither his bloc nor the opposition secured the 61 seats required for a majority in the 120-member Knesset. The Joint List, an Arab-led party, and Ra'am, an Arab party, together won 19 seats, nearly double their previous representation.
While the opposition and Arab parties combined would have 67 seats, enough to replace Netanyahu, deep political divisions exist. Some opposition and Arab leaders have rejected reliance on Arab parties, while others, like Gadi Eisenkot, Naftali Bennett, and Avigdor Liberman, have urged cooperation to remove Netanyahu from power. Palestinian citizens of Israel have viewed the results through the lens of political mobilization, driven by frustration over domestic policies, organized crime, and successive wars.
Palestinian analysts note that the Arab parties' success reflects growing insecurity among their voters, citing concerns such as crime, budget allocations, and political rights. However, the Arab parties' gains have also led to accusations of election fraud and foreign interference from Netanyahu's Likud party.
Brief written by urgent.news from Jerusalem Post's own syndicated text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
