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WorldQuiet 9d · day 11

Arab-led parties win record 19 Knesset seats as Netanyahu warns of 'Islamization'

Palestinian citizens of Israel turned out in record numbers, handing Ra'am and the Joint List a historic 19 seats that could help oust Netanyahu.

newest coverage 8d agosummary written 8d ago13 pieces Google NewsNewswiresMastodon

What to know

  • Arab-led parties Ra'am and the Joint List won a record 19 of 120 Knesset seats, up from the previous high of 15, after turnout surged 64% from 2022.
  • The result could give opposition parties the votes needed to oust Netanyahu, but it hinges on whether rival Gadi Eisenkot will ally with Arab-led parties, something he has denied planning despite Netanyahu's accusations.
  • Netanyahu and allies Itamar Ben Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich intensified anti-Arab rhetoric after the vote, including unproven bribery claims and warnings of 'Islamization' if Arab parties join a government.
  • Voters and local leaders describe the turnout as driven by fear of rising anti-Arab violence and incitement rather than renewed confidence in Israeli democracy.

Mansour AbbasMansour Abbas Leader of the Ra'am partyBenjamin NetanyahuBenjamin Netanyahu Israeli Prime MinisterGadi EisenkotGadi Eisenkot Netanyahu's main political rivalItamar Ben GvirItamar Ben Gvir National security minister, far-right ally of NetanyahuBezalel SmotrichBezalel Smotrich Far-right ally of NetanyahuMazen Ghnaim Mayor of Sakhnin, Ra'am supporter

How it unfolded 2 developments, newest first · click a bar or a number to jump articlesposts

Peak 6 pieces in 3h at Oct 30, 9 AM; 13 pieces over 11 days (11 articles · 2 posts) Oct 28, 6 PM — 4 pieces · 4 articles — Google News 4Oct 28, 9 PM — quietOct 29, 12 AM — quietOct 29, 3 AM — quietOct 29, 6 AM — quietOct 29, 9 AM — quietOct 29, 12 PM — quietOct 29, 3 PM — quietOct 29, 6 PM — quietOct 29, 9 PM — quietOct 30, 12 AM — 1 piece · 1 article — Newswires 1Oct 30, 3 AM — 1 piece · 1 article — Newswires 1Oct 30, 6 AM — 1 piece · 1 article — Google News 1Oct 30, 9 AM — 6 pieces · 4 articles · 2 posts — Newswires 4, Mastodon 2Oct 30, 12 PM — quietOct 30, 3 PM — quietOct 30, 6 PM — quietOct 30, 9 PM — quietOct 31, 12 AM — quietOct 31, 3 AM — quietOct 31, 6 AM — quietOct 31, 9 AM — quietOct 31, 12 PM — quietOct 31, 3 PM — quietOct 31, 6 PM — quietOct 31, 9 PM — quietNov 1, 12 AM — quietNov 1, 2 AM — quietNov 1, 5 AM — quietNov 1, 8 AM — quietNov 1, 11 AM — quietNov 1, 2 PM — quietNov 1, 5 PM — quietNov 1, 8 PM — quietNov 1, 11 PM — quietNov 2, 2 AM — quietNov 2, 5 AM — quietNov 2, 8 AM — quietNov 2, 11 AM — quietNov 2, 2 PM — quietNov 2, 5 PM — quietNov 2, 8 PM — quietNov 2, 11 PM — quietNov 3, 2 AM — quietNov 3, 5 AM — quietNov 3, 8 AM — quietNov 3, 11 AM — quietNov 3, 2 PM — quietNov 3, 5 PM — quietNov 3, 8 PM — quietNov 3, 11 PM — quietNov 4, 2 AM — quietNov 4, 5 AM — quietNov 4, 8 AM — quietNov 4, 11 AM — quietNov 4, 2 PM — quietNov 4, 5 PM — quietNov 4, 8 PM — quietNov 4, 11 PM — quietNov 5, 2 AM — quietNov 5, 5 AM — quietNov 5, 8 AM — quietNov 5, 11 AM — quietNov 5, 2 PM — quietNov 5, 5 PM — quietNov 5, 8 PM — quietNov 5, 11 PM — quietNov 6, 2 AM — quietNov 6, 5 AM — quietNov 6, 8 AM — quietNov 6, 11 AM — quietNov 6, 2 PM — quietNov 6, 5 PM — quietNov 6, 8 PM — quietNov 6, 11 PM — quietYesterday, 2 AM — quietYesterday, 5 AM — quietYesterday, 8 AM — quietYesterday, 11 AM — quietYesterday, 2 PM — quietYesterday, 5 PM — quietYesterday, 8 PM — quietYesterday, 11 PM — quietToday, 2 AM — quietToday, 5 AM — quietToday, 8 AM — quiet 12
Oct 29Oct 30Oct 31Nov 1Nov 2Nov 3Nov 4Nov 5Nov 6now · 10:42 AM ET
  1. 2

    AP traces record turnout to fear and frustration, not faith in democracy

    Reporting from Sakhnin describes how years of being demonized or neglected, plus rising anti-Arab violence and incitement, pushed previously disengaged Palestinian citizens of Israel to vote as an act of desperation to unseat Netanyahu.

    “We are here and we're not on the sidelines…”
    — Mansour Abbas, Ra'am party leader · source
    1. 9 outlets For Palestinian citizens of Israel, a historic vote borne of fear and frustration

      first by Philadelphia Inquirer, 9d ago · also Orlando Sentinel, Baltimore Sun, Mercury News, PBS, AP News, Yahoo +2

      2 more headlines
  2. 1 day quiet
  3. 1

    Netanyahu warns coalition with Arab parties would cause 'Islamization'

    Netanyahu posted on X warning against any party forming a government with the Arab-led parties and repeated unproven claims that foreign powers had bribed voters to back them.

    “Islamization of Israel…”
    — Benjamin Netanyahu
  4. background

    Final tally confirms nearly 840,000 votes for Arab-led parties — Israel's Central Election Committee certified a 64% increase in votes for Ra'am and the Joint List compared with 2022; turnout reached 87% in Sakhnin and nearly doubled in the Bedouin village of Tarabin, where Ra'am won 93% of the vote.

  5. background

    Ben Gvir urges Jewish voters to counter Arab turnout surge — National security minister Itamar Ben Gvir raised alarm on Election Day over rising Arab turnout and called on his supporters to vote to keep the country "Jewish and Zionist."

  6. background

    Arab-led parties win record 19 Knesset seats amid surge in turnout — Ra'am and the Joint List, a coalition of three Arab-led parties, won 19 of 120 Knesset seats, surpassing the previous record of 15, as Palestinian citizens of Israel turned out in record numbers.