Arab Parties Achieve Historic Success in Israeli Elections

Arab voters went to the polls with a record turnout rate in the parliamentary elections held in Israel on October 27, 2026. While final results have not yet been announced, after the counting of approximately 90 percent of the votes, two Arab parties are expected to win a historic total of 19 seats.

In Israel's 120-seat parliament, the left-wing Joint List is projected to win 12 seats, and the conservative United Arab List (Ra'am) 7 seats. These results elevate Arab parties to a critical position in the formation of the new government. According to Channel 12 estimates, turnout among Arab voters was around 80 percent. The overall turnout rate was recorded at 77.7 percent, the highest level seen since 1999.

Arab citizens, consisting of Muslim, Christian, and Druze communities making up about 21 percent of Israel's population, have long complained of discrimination. Opposition to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government played a role in the record turnout, while Netanyahu's far-right coalition makes an alliance with Arab leaders unlikely. It is stated that his rival Gadi Eisenkot's bloc won 48 seats and has not yet committed to an alliance with Arab parties. A majority threshold of 61 is required to form a government.