Arab parties eye record gains in Israel election

Arab parties in Israel are on course to win a record 19 seats in the Knesset, as strong voter turnout among Arab citizens could influence coalition negotiations following Tuesday’s election, according to exit polls and preliminary results.

The Joint List and the United Arab List (Ra’am) are projected to make significant gains, with preliminary figures reported by Israeli media showing the Joint List securing 11 seats and Ra’am six after 84.5 per cent of votes were counted. Turnout among Arab citizens reportedly reached around 80 per cent, surpassing the previous record set in 1999.

Ra’am leader Mansour Abbas said neither major political bloc appeared capable of forming a government independently and expressed hope that Arab parties could help the opposition secure the 61 seats needed for a parliamentary majority.

However, former Israeli ambassador Alon Pinkas told Al Jazeera that forming a government could prove difficult for opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot’s bloc, which had pledged during the campaign not to form a coalition with Arab parties.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his right-wing allies urged Jewish voters to turn out, with Netanyahu warning that low turnout could allow Arab-led parties to gain political influence.