Israel vote sharpens splits among US Jews and Arab Israeli voters
Why it matters: Polls point to a tight Oct. 27 race that could decide whether Benjamin Netanyahu’s hard-right coalition keeps power.
Israel’s Oct. 27 election is stirring anxiety well beyond the ballot box, exposing deep divisions among Jewish Americans and driving a turnout push among Israel’s Arab minority. In the United States, many Jews see the vote as a referendum on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack and the Gaza war, with some backing him as Israel’s defender and others blaming his policies for damaging Israel’s standing and fueling tensions abroad. Inside Israel, Arab voters, who make up about 21% of the population, describe the election as a fight over their future after clashes over land, expanding West Bank settlements and the growing influence of far-right figures including Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben Gvir.