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Arab turnout makes Ra’am key to next Israeli coalition

By Drooid · Oct 28, 2026, 06:07 UTC · How we work

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Summary

Israel conducted national elections for the 120-seat Knesset on October 27, 2026, with polls opening at 7 a.m.
High Arab voter turnout makes Arab parties essential for any coalition, as no bloc reaches 61 seats alone.
Voters cited IDF manpower shortages, contested ultra-Orthodox conscription, and called for an inquiry into the October 7 war.
Ra’am leader Mansour Abbas thanked Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, urging Arab parties’ inclusion in the next government.

History

On 17 May 1977 Israel held its ninth Knesset election, where Likud under Menachem Begin won 43 seats, ending almost 30 years of Labor/Alignment dominance—a shift dubbed the “Mahapach.” The 2026 election mirrors that fragmentation, with Arab leader Mansour Abbas and far-right figure Itamar Ben-Gvir vying for coalition leverage, showing how the 1977 realignment still shapes Israeli bargaining over security and conscription.

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Historical Context

On 17 May 1977 Israel held its ninth Knesset election, where Likud under Menachem Begin won 43 seats, ending almost 30 years of Labor/Alignment dominance—a shift dubbed the “Mahapach.” The 2026 election mirrors that fragmentation, with Arab leader Mansour Abbas and far-right figure Itamar Ben-Gvir vying for coalition leverage, showing how the 1977 realignment still shapes Israeli bargaining over security and conscription.

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