Israel Election Arab Parties
Israeli lawmaker Mansour Abbas, right, leader of the Ra'am party, speaks to supporters during a campaign event ahead of Israel's general election in the northern Israeli town of Baqa al-Gharbiyye, Thursday, Oct. 8, 2026.
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Arab parties could win enough seats in Israel's Oct. 27 election to help decide who the next prime minister is. But Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his main rivals have all ruled out any alliance with them. Activists say the long-marginalized community has faced heightened discrimination and incitement since Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, attack out of Gaza. Israel's Palestinian citizens make up around 20% of its population. They have citizenship, including the right to vote, but their close ties to Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and Gaza lead many Jewish Israelis to view them with suspicion.
