Arab political parties in Israel may emerge from Tuesday’s election with their strongest parliamentary representation yet, but their ability to translate the gains into government influence remains uncertain.
The projection, reported by CNN’s Zeena Saifi and Kathleen Magramo, puts the Arab-led Joint List and Raam parties at a combined 17 to 19 seats in the 120-member Knesset, following an unusually strong turnout by Arab voters.
The result marks a significant moment for a community that accounts for about 20 per cent of Israel’s electorate but has traditionally recorded lower voting participation than Jewish Israelis.
At the Joint List’s election headquarters in Nazareth, supporters celebrated the projected gains, with party leader Yousef Jabareen describing the turnout as “unprecedented and historic in our Arab society.”
The increased participation was largely driven by opposition to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s right-wing coalition, particularly its association with hardline ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich.
The mood at the Joint List headquarters was reflected in chants of “Ben-Gvir, go home,” signalling the depth of opposition to the current political direction among many Arab voters.
Jabareen said the election projections showed that Arab-led parties could influence the country’s political future. He pledged to use their parliamentary presence to confront crime in Arab communities, racism and the demolition of homes and entire villages.
However, the projected gains do not automatically translate into a place in the next government, exposing the gap between electoral strength and coalition-building power in Israel’s parliamentary system.
Gadi Eisenkot’s Yashar party is projected to win 21 to 23 seats, positioning it as a major player in the opposition’s efforts to form an alternative government. Yet, Eisenkot has outlined conditions for potential coalition partners, including recognition of Israel as a Jewish state and acceptance that Hamas is a terrorist organisation that must be dismantled.
Those demands could complicate negotiations with Arab lawmakers, many of whom are unlikely to accept the conditions as presented.
The challenge is further reinforced by opposition allies Avigdor Lieberman and Naftali Bennett, who have ruled out forming a government with Arab parties.
Consequently, even with a historic parliamentary showing, Arab lawmakers could find themselves with limited access to executive power if the parties seeking to replace Netanyahu remain unwilling to include them in a governing arrangement.
The election has therefore delivered a double-edged outcome: Arab voters have demonstrated their capacity to mobilise in significant numbers, but whether that mobilisation can shape government policy will depend on the willingness of rival political blocs to negotiate beyond their existing ideological boundaries.
