Palestinian citizens of Israel cast their ballots at a polling station in Umm al-Fahm on October 27, 2026, helping strip Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government of its majority, NPR reported. Arab-led parties secured 19 out of 120 seats in the general election, representing a 64% increase in votes compared to the previous election, according to data from the Central Elections Committee.
Neither Netanyahu’s coalition nor his main challenger, center-right opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot, reached the threshold of 61 seats required to form an independent government, leaving neither bloc with a parliamentary majority. Anti-Netanyahu Jewish-majority parties captured 48 seats, which, combined with the 19 seats won by Raam and the Joint List, would total 67 seats—enough to form a governing majority, according to reporting cited by The Business Standard.
Voter Turnout Driven by Rights Concerns
Residents pointed to a sharp rise in discrimination inside Israel since the October 7, 2023, attacks, alongside actions by Netanyahu’s government in the occupied West Bank, as primary motivations for heading to the polls.
Jamal Zahalka, chairman of the High Follow-Up Committee, described the electoral outcome as a historical achievement that blocked Netanyahu’s government from continuing and demonstrated newfound community strength. On election day, Netanyahu posted a video characterizing the high Arab turnout as an emergency, while National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir appealed to voters outside Kufr Qasim to safeguard the country’s Jewish and Zionist character.
Likud Alleges Voter Fraud Amid Coalition Deadlock
Following the inconclusive results, Likud party officials alleged that Arab factions had secured seats through voter fraud, citing cash envelopes and foreign influence. However, police reported finding no basis for the claims, and election officials confirmed the vote was conducted properly without widespread fraud, though the head of the elections committee requested a Shin Bet inquiry into suspected foreign funding.
Protesters gathered in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem urging opposition leaders to pursue a coalition with Arab parties, carrying placards reading “67 — United we stand, divided we get Bibi.” While Yair Golan, leader of the Democrats party, backed the idea of an Arab-supported government, Yisrael Beiteinu leader Avigdor Liberman rejected any alignment with Arab parties, stating that whoever wants to rely on supporters of terrorism can do so.
Eisenkot has not explicitly ruled out accepting external parliamentary support from Arab parties, though he has maintained that any government he leads must be a Zionist entity recognizing Israel as a Jewish, democratic, and liberal state. Meanwhile, the Joint List has indicated it would back Eisenkot’s government from the outside without joining the cabinet, citing ongoing military operations in Gaza and the West Bank.
President Isaac Herzog is expected to announce which political leader will receive a 28-day mandate to attempt coalition formation.
