Palestinian citizens of Israel are heading to the polls on October 27 in a knife-edge general election, torn between longstanding disillusionment with the state’s political system and mounting fear over another hard-right government led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Making up roughly a fifth of Israel's population, Palestinian voters could play a decisive role in the outcome. Opinion surveys indicate that neither Netanyahu’s right-wing bloc nor the Zionist opposition alliance is on track to secure the 61 seats required to control the 120-seat Knesset without support from Arab-led parties.
If no bloc manages to assemble a majority, fresh elections would be triggered, leaving Netanyahu’s administration in power. Meanwhile, prominent opposition figures have rejected cooperating with Arab-led lists. Opposition leader Naftali Bennett has insisted that “The Arab parties are not Zionist, and therefore we will not rely on them,” while potential prime ministerial candidate Gadi Eisenkot has similarly refused any partnership.
The vote follows significant legal pressure on Arab representation. On September 23, the Central Elections Committee voted to disqualify both Ra’am and the Joint List, an alliance consisting of the Hadash, Balad and Ta’al factions. Although the Supreme Court overturned the rulings, Balad candidate Sami Abu Shehadeh withdrew after justices signalled majority support for his disqualification.
Tensions have also been heightened by recent provocations, including an attempt by West Bank settlers to establish an outpost near the Galilee community of Majd al-Krum, as well as an artificial intelligence campaign video issued by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich targeting Arab communities.
“Palestinian citizens are really afraid. Their leadership is afraid, and this is real,” said As’ad Ghanem, a political scientist at the University of Haifa, pointing to Israel's military assault on Gaza, ongoing state policies, and displacement in the occupied West Bank as central drivers of anxiety.
Campaign organizers are aiming to push Palestinian turnout up to 70 or 75 percent, levels not seen since 1999, to prevent smaller right-wing factions such as Amcha Yisrael and The Reservists from clearing the 3.25 percent electoral threshold. Participation stood at approximately 53 percent in the 2022 election, though recent survey estimates indicate that about 62 percent intend to cast ballots next week.
For many, the election presents a difficult choice between principle and tactical voting. First-time voter Laila Atamneh, a 19-year-old Jerusalemite, said she feels a duty to speak for millions in the occupied territories who have no vote, while 36-year-old Galilee resident Hanan remarked of the settler threats: “This makes me want to vote more, and want to encourage other people to vote.”
