Arab-led parties win 19 seats as Israeli election leaves Netanyahu without majority

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu lost his majority in the Knesset after the inconclusive election last month. His far-right coalition failed to secure the 61 seats required to govern. The center-right opposition led by Gadi Eisenkot also fell short of the threshold. Neither side can form a government without the support of other parties.

Arab-led parties captured 19 of the 120 seats in the parliament. This result gives them a decisive role in the upcoming coalition talks. The turnout among Palestinian citizens of Israel reached record levels. This group now constitutes about 20% of the national population. The Central Elections Committee reported a 64% increase in votes for these parties compared to the previous election.

Jamal Zahalka, chairman of the High Follow-Up Committee, described the outcome as a historical achievement. He stated that the community blocked the continuation of Netanyahu's government. "I think our community found its strength," Zahalka said. The surge in participation reversed a recent trend where many Palestinians abstained from voting due to feelings of marginalization.

The election results have intensified tensions within Israel's right wing. Netanyahu labeled the high Arab turnout an emergency in a video posted on election day. His Likud party claimed the Arab parties won through bribery and threats. The party alleged a foreign takeover of the Knesset and warned of the Islamization of Israel. No public evidence has supported these claims. Police and election officials report no widespread fraud. The head of the elections committee asked the Shin Bet security service to investigate suspected foreign funding of turnout efforts.

Gadi Eisenkot, the main challenger, faces a difficult path to power. As a former military chief of staff, he is viewed as a hawk by many Arab politicians. His son was killed fighting in Gaza during the current war. Eisenkot formulated the Dahiyeh doctrine in 2008, which advocated for disproportionate force against militant areas. He served as an observer in Netanyahu's war cabinet early in the conflict.

Arab parties are divided on how to leverage their new influence. Ra'am, a conservative Islamist party, campaigned on joining a coalition and placed a Jewish former police official second on its list. The Joint List alliance, which won 11 of the 19 seats, said it would not formally partner with Eisenkot. Leaders of the alliance cited the ongoing war in Gaza and the occupation of the West Bank as reasons to support his government from the outside rather than join it.

President Isaac Herzog is currently consulting with parties to determine who receives a mandate to form a government. He is expected to announce his decision next week. The selected candidate has 28 days to form a coalition. They may request a two-week extension. If the first attempt fails, the next candidate has 28 days without an extension. If no government is formed, Israel will hold repeat elections next year.

In the town of Kufr Qasim, residents connected their voting decision to recent changes in their daily lives. Intisar Sarsur, 65, said the community is seeking basic human rights. She noted that everyone she knew participated in the vote. Mansour Shaaban, 33, called it necessary to oppose the actions of the extreme right. "Right-wing Israeli politicians know that Palestinian citizens of the country have found their voice," Shaaban said.