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Where Do Israel’s Arab Parties Stand?
Confirmed
In Short: Zonszein told Arab News that although some Palestinians in Israel vote for Netanyahu or other right-wing parties, most will vote for one of the two Arab lists: Mansour Abbas’ party or the Joint List.
At a pharmacy in Tira, an Arab city in central Israel, a young cashier urged Amal, a Palestinian citizen of Israel, to vote in the Israeli general election on Tuesday.
Arab citizens, who make up about 21 percent of Israel’s population of 10 million people, are casting their ballots amid a sense of determination and urgency.
According to Channel 12, Netanyahu’s bloc is projected to secure 50 seats, while the opposition bloc led by former military chief Gadi Eisenkot is expected to win 52 seats. Arab parties are projected to receive 18 seats, according to Channel 12, and 17 seats according to Channel 13.
Amal expressed her determination to vote, stating, “Have a good day sending the fascists home and continuing to build a place where we all have the right to independence, security, and justice.”
Witnesses reported seeing cars displaying flags in support of Netanyahu’s Likud party driving through Jerusalem, broadcasting the Islamic call to prayer and urging supporters to vote because the “Arabs are voting.”
A Palestinian Arab woman and elected public official wrote in Hebrew, “I voted. As a Palestinian Arab woman and elected public official in Israel — this is an immense and incomprehensible privilege to vote and influence.”
Much of the opposition would be resistant to forming a coalition with any Arab party, particularly the Joint List, although they might ultimately agree to do so, according to a source.
The votes for parties failing to secure 3.25 percent are discarded, which explains why small parties routinely merge before every election.
Amal’s encounter at the pharmacy reflected a sense of determination she has seen take hold among younger voters amid a desire to be heard in a country where many in her community have felt increasingly unsafe, or even targeted.
For voters such as Amal, this uncertainty tempered an election day marked by pride, a sense of urgency, and reports of long lines at polling stations in Arab communities.
What this adds
The political landscape in Israel is complex, with Arab citizens playing a significant role in the election outcomes.
What's confirmed
- At a pharmacy in Tira, an Arab city in central Israel, a young cashier urged Amal, a Palestinian citizen of Israel, to vote in the Israeli general election on Tuesday.
- Arab citizens, who make up about 21 percent of Israel’s population of 10 million people, are casting their ballots amid a sense of determination and urgency.
- According to Channel 12, Netanyahu’s bloc is projected to secure 50 seats, while the opposition bloc led by former military chief Gadi Eisenkot is expected to win 52 seats. Arab parties are projected to receive 18 seats, according to Channel 12, and 17 seats according to Channel 13.
- Much of the opposition would be resistant to forming a coalition with any Arab party, particularly the Joint List, although they might ultimately agree to do so, according to a source.
- The votes for parties failing to secure 3.25 percent are discarded, which explains why small parties routinely merge before every election.
- Amal’s encounter at the pharmacy reflected a sense of determination she has seen take hold among younger voters amid a desire to be heard in a country where many in her community have felt increasingly unsafe, or even targeted.
- For voters such as Amal, this uncertainty tempered an election day marked by pride, a sense of urgency, and reports of long lines at polling stations in Arab communities.
What's still developing
- “If we don’t wake up now, we’ll find ourselves with a government of Mansour Abbas and Ahmed Tibi,” he said, referring to two leading Arab politicians.
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- "has agreed that the non-disclosure provisions (NDAs) contained in the parties' June 2025 settlement of the 2020 lawsuit are terminated and void; this action has therefore achieved its purpose."