1.18 Million Arab Voters Could Decide Israel Election
Two Arab parties are projected to win 16 seats, but pro- and anti-Netanyahu Jewish blocs remain reluctant to partner with them.
About 1.18 million Arab citizens of Israel are eligible to vote in the Knesset election on October 27, a bloc that could prove decisive amid the political deadlock. The Israel Election Committee said the total number of eligible voters is about 7.3 million, with Arab voters accounting for roughly 18 percent. Several polls show both Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition and the opposition led by Gadi Eisenkot struggling to reach a 61-seat majority. In that scenario, the two Arab parties now in the Knesset are expected to win 16 seats. But that potential kingmaker role is limited because Jewish parties in both camps generally refuse to bring Arab parties into government. Arab citizens of Israel make up about 21 percent of the population, but they have often felt sidelined in national politics.