Arab-majority parties make gains in ‘Israeli’ elections, exit polls show

• Arab voters reportedly turned out in high numbers, potentially strengthening the parties’ parliamentary representation.
• A larger Arab parliamentary presence could affect coalition arithmetic, but it does not automatically translate into participation in government.

Arab-majority parties in ‘Israel’ made significant gains in Tuesday’s general election, winning a projected 17 to 18 seats in the 120-member parliament, according to initial exit polls reported by major ‘Israeli’ television channels.

The projections would mark an increase from the 10 seats secured collectively by the Arab lists in the 2022 election, with the latest figures pointing to stronger support among Arab voters, whose turnout was reported to be high.

The results could increase the parliamentary influence of Arab parties, which represent a minority of ‘Israel’s’ citizens but have often faced challenges in translating their electoral support into government power.

Arab political parties are not a single ideological bloc. They include Ra’am, which has pursued influence through coalition participation and a focus on socioeconomic issues affecting Arab communities; Hadash-Ta’al, which combines left-wing politics, Arab-Jewish cooperation and Arab national concerns; and Balad, which advocates a state for all its citizens and emphasizes Palestinian national identity. Their positions differ on how Arab citizens should engage with ‘Israel’s’ political system and seek change through parliament.

In the 2022 election, Ra’am won five seats and Hadash-Ta’al secured five, while Balad failed to cross the electoral threshold. Together, the two successful lists held 10 seats in the outgoing parliament. 

The 2026 gains come after ‘Israel’s’ Central Elections Committee voted in September to disqualify the two lists from contesting the election, before the Supreme Court overturned the decisions on Oct. 2. The committee had cited allegations that the parties rejected ‘Israel’s’ character as a Jewish and democratic state or supported armed struggle against it. The Supreme Court ruled unanimously that the evidence submitted did not meet the legal threshold required to bar either list.

Palestinian citizens make up roughly one-fifth of ‘Israel’s’ population. Their participation can influence the balance of power in a closely contested parliament, although the ability of Arab parties to shape government formation depends on coalition negotiations and other parties’ willingness to work with them. 

Read more: ‘Israeli’ election turnout reaches 74.3%, highest since 1988