The future of the Palestinian vote in Israel

In Israel’s October 27, 2026 election, two Arab parties made up of Palestinian citizens of Israel won 19 Knesset seats after roughly 80 percent of Palestinian citizens voted. Their mobilisation helped prevent Benjamin Netanyahu from securing a majority: his bloc won 53 seats, compared with 48 for the Jewish-led opposition. Members of Netanyahu’s camp alleged the election was “stolen” and called for restrictions on the Arab vote, while Palestinian communities faced intensified incitement. The article examines the tension between formal voting rights and informal political exclusion, asking whether Palestinian citizens can truly influence who governs and be treated as equal citizens.