The results have revived memories of the political deadlock between 2019 and 2021, when Israel was forced to hold four midterm elections amid repeated failures to establish a stable government. The impasse was eventually broken when opposition parties formed a coalition with the support of Ra’am, an Arab political party. However, the government formed in 2021 survived for only 18 months.
Following increased voter turnout in the election held on October 27, a major political shift had been anticipated. With 90 per cent of the votes counted so far, Netanyahu’s Likud-led alliance remains far short of a majority. The growing strength of Arab parties is being seen as a significant factor in the results. For the first time in an Israeli general election, Arab parties have won 19 seats.
According to the vote count available so far, the Likud-led alliance has secured 53 seats, while the Eisenkot alliance has won 48. Neither side has reached the 61 seats required for a parliamentary majority.
Israel’s Political Future May Once Again Depend on Ra’am
In Israeli politics, the name Ra’am refers to the United Arab List, an Arab political party whose name in Hebrew is represented by the letters Resh-Ayin-Mem. The party represents Israel’s Muslim Arab population and is led by Mansour Abbas.
Ra’am first became part of an Israeli government in 2021, when Yair Lapid and Naftali Bennett formed a coalition of eight parties that included the Arab party. On June 13, 2021, the coalition secured a confidence vote in parliament by 60 votes to 59. It was the first time an Arab party had become part of a governing coalition in Israel. However, the government collapsed after just 18 months.
The latest election results have once again highlighted the potential importance of Arab parties in determining the formation of Israel’s next government. With the two leading alliances falling short of a majority, the distribution of seats among smaller parties could prove decisive.
How Large Is Israel’s Muslim Population?
Israel has approximately 1.849 million Muslims, according to a report released on May 26 by the country’s Central Bureau of Statistics. Muslims account for around 18.6 per cent of Israel’s total population.
Jerusalem was identified as the largest centre of the Muslim population, with approximately 395,000 Muslims living there.
Not all Arabs living in Israel are Muslim. The Arab population also includes Christians and Druze, although their numbers are comparatively small.
Historical Roots of the Israeli-Arab Conflict
At the beginning of the 19th century, the territory of Palestine was part of the Ottoman Empire. Its population included Arab Muslims, Arab Christians and Jews.
Towards the end of the century, anti-Jewish discrimination and violence increased across Europe, encouraging the growth of Jewish nationalism, known as Zionism. The movement called for a separate homeland for Jewish people, eventually leading to increased Jewish migration to Palestine.
Following the First World War and the collapse of the Ottoman Empire, Britain assumed control of Palestine. In 1917, the British government expressed support for the establishment of a national home for the Jewish people. The declaration intensified tensions with the Arab community living in the territory.
In 1947, the United Nations proposed dividing Palestine into two states, one Jewish and one Arab, while placing Jerusalem under an international administration. Jewish representatives accepted the proposal, but Arab representatives rejected it.
On May 14, 1948, David Ben-Gurion declared the establishment of the State of Israel. War between Israel and Arab forces broke out the following day. During the conflict, more than 700,000 Palestinians were forced to leave their homes. Palestinians refer to this event as the Nakba, meaning catastrophe.
Israel won the war and extended its control to approximately 77 per cent of the territory of historic Palestine, beyond the boundaries outlined in the United Nations partition plan. As a result, the proposed Arab state did not come into existence.
In 1967, following the Six-Day War against Arab countries, Israel occupied the West Bank, East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip. The status of Palestinians living in these territories subsequently remained different from that of Muslim citizens living within Israel.
Rights and Challenges Faced by Muslims in Israel
Muslims who hold Israeli citizenship have the same legal political rights as Jewish citizens. They can establish political parties, contest elections and become members of parliament.
However, they sometimes face inequalities in areas such as education, housing and local infrastructure. A 2025 report by the American organisation Freedom House also made claims relating to these issues.
In 2018, Israel’s parliament passed a basic law known as the Nation-State Law, formally titled the Basic Law: Israel as the Nation-State of the Jewish People. The law established Israel as the national home of the Jewish people.
The legal position of Muslims living in East Jerusalem and the West Bank differs from that of Muslim Israeli citizens. Palestinians living in East Jerusalem have permanent resident status but cannot vote in Israeli national elections. They are entitled to vote only in municipal elections. They can apply for Israeli citizenship, but the process is difficult.
The election results have therefore brought renewed attention to the political influence of Arab parties within Israel’s parliamentary system. With neither leading alliance securing the 61 seats needed for a majority, the role of Arab representatives and smaller parties could again become central to the formation of the next government.
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