Israel’s election has produced a hung parliament. Neither Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s bloc nor the main opposition has secured a clear majority, leaving the country’s political future uncertain and putting Arab parties in the position of deciding the next government.
Netanyahu’s Likud is projected to win 53 seats, while the opposition party led by former military chief Gadi Eisenkot is expected to take 48. Arab parties are reported to have won 19. A government in the 120-seat Knesset needs at least 61 seats. If the opposition and the Arab parties set aside ideological differences and combine, they would hold 67 seats, enough to form a government.
Rallies for a Joint Government
Following the results, large rallies were held in Tel Aviv in support of a joint Jewish-Arab government. Protesters said Arabs make up 20 percent of Israel’s population and that real change is not possible without including them. They urged politicians to treat Arab representation as a way of resolving the country’s problems rather than as a trap.
Positions of the Arab Parties
Two Arab parties performed particularly well: the Joint List, led by Yousef Jabareen, and Ra’am, led by Mansour Abbas. The Joint List has said it will use its seats to bring down the Netanyahu government. It has ruled out directly joining governments that backed the military campaign in Gaza and the occupation of southern Lebanon, but said it is prepared to support a government from outside if demands such as security and equality for the Arab community are met.
Ra’am, led by 52-year-old dentist Mansour Abbas, has focused on domestic civic issues. It has not made the Israeli-Palestinian conflict a precondition for negotiations, concentrating instead on infrastructure for Arab citizens, crime control and educational opportunities.
Roughly 2.1 million Arab citizens live in Israel and play a significant role in civic life, particularly in healthcare. Arabs account for more than 20 percent of the country’s doctors, 25 percent of its nurses and over half of its pharmacists. They also serve as Supreme Court justices, engineers and academics. Although Arab leaders have historically had limited representation, their political influence has grown considerably.
Likud Alleges Irregularities
Likud reacted sharply to the Arab parties’ gains. It alleged large-scale irregularities, claiming that Arab parties supported terrorism, intimidated and bribed voters, and manipulated votes using banned software. The party has demanded a thorough investigation by Shin Bet, Israel’s internal security agency, and the police. The allegations are Likud’s own, and no evidence was cited in the report.
Counting of absentee ballots and double-envelope votes, including those cast by Israel Defense Forces soldiers, is still under way. Only when these results are final will it be clear whether Netanyahu retains power or a new government takes shape with the support of the Arab parties.