Arab-Led Parties Hold Balance of Power Ahead of Israeli Election
· World · Al Jazeera, The Independent
Palestinian citizens of Israel, who account for roughly 20 percent of the population, are projected to secure 13 seats in the upcoming October 27 Knesset election through the Ra'am and Joint List parties. With Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud bloc running neck-and-neck with the Zionist opposition bloc and neither side projected to win an outright majority of 120 seats, the Arab-led lists could prove decisive in forming a post-election coalition. In 2021, Ra'am made history by becoming the first Arab party to join an Israeli governing coalition under Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid. While both Netanyahu and major opposition leaders have publicly ruled out partnering with Arab-led factions in campaign rhetoric, analysts note political pragmatism could override stated positions if coalition math requires it. The exact outcome depends heavily on voter turnout among Arab citizens amid ongoing political polarization.
Why it matters
The potential role of Arab-led parties as kingmakers in Israel's fractured parliament could determine the stability and ideological direction of the next government.
Read the original report — Al Jazeera
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