Israeli Election 2026: Arab Parties Hold Balance of Power
Polls indicate that Arab parties in Israel could hold a critical balance of power in the upcoming general election amid efforts to oust Netanyahu.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- Arab Israelis account for approximately one-fifth of the total population in Israel.
- The upcoming general election features a major push to unseat Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's right-wing coalition.
- Gang crime has emerged as the most critical voting factor for 53.5% of Arab citizens.
- United Arab List leader Mansour Abbas aims to enter government and has recruited centrist former police official Yoav Segalovitz.
At rush hour in Nazareth, the largest Arab-majority city in Israel, students distribute leaflets by the roadside urging motorists to vote in next week's closely fought general election, where polls indicate Arab parties could hold a critical balance of power.
Disaffection has historically driven down turnout among Arab Israelis, who often describe themselves as Palestinian citizens of Israel. However, this election brings a strong push to remove the most right-wing governing coalition in the nation's history, an alliance led by veteran Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu alongside far-right and ultra-Orthodox parties.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
Most opinion polls indicate that neither Netanyahu's bloc nor the main opposition Change Bloc, led by former military chief Gadi Eisenkot, holds a clear path to a parliamentary majority.
The political landscape in Israel remains deeply fractured following prolonged regional conflicts. Mainstream and center-right parties face a strategic dilemma over whether to cooperate with Arab-majority lists, transforming the Arab electorate into a decisive swing vote in the Knesset.
Rampant gang crime remains a central issue for Arab voters. A poll conducted in September by the Israel Democracy Institute think tank found this was the determining factor for 53.5% of Arab citizens when casting their ballots.
Murders within the community reached a record high of 252 last year, roughly five times higher than the number of Jewish Israelis killed, according to the Abraham Initiatives coexistence organization.
"systematic discrimination and incitement"
Salman Mousa
Salman Mousa accuses government ministers of systematic discrimination and incitement against Arab Israelis. While civil society groups argue budgets for Arab communities have been disproportionately cut, the government maintains that reductions are necessary to fund wartime security.
Source: BBC World
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