Exit Polls Show Arab Parties Winning Record 18 Knesset Seats

Exit polls from Tuesday's election project that Arab-led parties will capture 18 seats in Israel's 120-member Knesset. This outcome breaks the previous record for parliamentary representation for these groups. The surge follows a historic spike in voter participation among Palestinian citizens of Israel.

Channel 12 reported that turnout among Palestinian citizens reached approximately 80 percent. This figure surpasses the national record set in 1999. The Central Elections Committee stated that overall turnout hit 77.7 percent, the highest level since that same year. Palestinian citizens constitute about 21 percent of Israel's 10 million residents.

The Joint List and Ra'am are positioned to hold the majority of these 18 seats. Ra'am leader Mansour Abbas told Channel 12 that the opposition bloc needs 61 seats to form a government. "With the numbers we have now, there is no government," Abbas said. He noted that both major political blocs sought his party's support before and after the vote.

Gadi Eisenkot's Yashar party and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud are tied at 51 seats each. Eisenkot, a former military chief of staff, leads the opposition bloc. Alon Pinkas, a former Israeli ambassador, said forming a coalition may be difficult for Eisenkot's group. They pledged during the campaign to avoid coalitions with Arab parties. Pinkas stated that "Arabs can't be kept outside and only being considered and co-opted when you need their votes."

Netanyahu's coalition made last-minute efforts to rally supporters by emphasizing rising Arab turnout. Witnesses in Jerusalem reported cars with Likud flags playing the Islamic call to prayer over loudspeakers. Arab politicians described this tactic as racist and inflammatory. Netanyahu shared an image of voters waiting in line, including women in niqab, on social media. He warned, "If we don't wake up now, we'll find ourselves with a government of Mansour Abbas and Ahmad Tibi."

Nour Odeh of Al Jazeera called the vote an existential moment for Palestinian-Israelis. She noted that the high turnout included voters who typically boycott elections. The Knesset has passed more than 100 laws that discriminate against Palestinian citizens. These citizens also face challenges in receiving state funds.