Story perspectives

Arab parties could become kingmakers after Israel’s election

By Drooid · Oct 17, 2026, 3:25 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

Arab parties could become kingmakers after Israel’s Oct. 27 election.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and rival leaders refuse any coalition with Arab-led parties.
Joint List chairman Youssef Jabareen says his bloc will back any government that removes Netanyahu.
The unified Joint List and Ra’am are projected to win about 14 Knesset seats.
Palestinian citizens face a homicide rate over 22 times higher than Jewish Israelis.

History

Historical Context

In the March 2021 election, the United Arab List (Ra’am) won four Knesset seats and left the Joint List, becoming a kingmaker in a hung parliament. On 2 June 2021 Mansour Abbas signed a coalition with Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid, delivering the first Arab party in government since 1977 and securing a budget of more than 53 billion shekels for Arab towns.

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Story summary

Arab parties could become kingmakers after Israel’s Oct. 27 election.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and rival leaders refuse any coalition with Arab-led parties.
Joint List chairman Youssef Jabareen says his bloc will back any government that removes Netanyahu.
The unified Joint List and Ra’am are projected to win about 14 Knesset seats.
Palestinian citizens face a homicide rate over 22 times higher than Jewish Israelis.

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