Why Arab parties may not be the ‘kingmakers’ in this Israeli election

Israeli exit polls project a record 17 seats for the Arab-led Joint List and Ra’am in the 120-member Knesset. Partial results give Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s bloc 54 seats and the opposition alliance led by Gadi Eisenkot 49, leaving no clear majority. Despite their potential leverage, Arab parties may not be “kingmakers” because most Israeli parties resist forming a government with them, limiting their influence. Honaida Ghanam of the Palestinian Forum for Israeli Studies says this political veto is rooted in a racist structure that treats Arab citizens as illegitimate partners.