jordan pulse -

​Official results announced for the Israeli parliamentary elections revealed that Arab lists secured 19 seats in the Knesset, compared to 53 seats for Benjamin Netanyahu’s camp and 48 seats for the opposition camp, with neither bloc attaining the necessary majority to form a government, granting Arab parties an influential role in upcoming political consultations.
​The Joint Arab List obtained 11 seats, while the United Arab List (Ra'am) secured 8 seats, raising total Arab representation to 19 seats, compared to 10 seats in the previous elections.
​Conversely, the Likud Party led by Netanyahu fell to 27 seats, down from 32 in the previous elections, while representation for the Shas Party decreased from 11 seats to 6. Otzma Yehudit secured 7 seats, and United Torah Judaism maintained the same number of seats.
​The results indicate that both camps require additional support to secure a parliamentary majority, placing Arab lists before options regarding participation in a governing coalition or providing parliamentary backing to it, amid divisions within the Israeli opposition regarding the feasibility of cooperating with them.
​Rise in Arab Turnout
​Experts in Israeli affairs attribute the increase in Arab representation to higher voter turnout, reaching approximately 70–80%, exceeding opinion poll estimates that had projected Arab lists winning 14 seats.
​Experts contend that the surge in participation gave Arab voters greater weight in the final results, driven by a growing perception among segments of the population that the right-wing government's policies target their standing and rights, particularly in light of positions taken by the Ministers of National Security and Finance.
​They pointed out that the election results underscored a political paradox represented by the rise in Arab representation alongside increasingly complex coalition calculations, as neither camp can secure a majority independently.
​In this context, the issue of cooperating with Arab lists emerges as a key point of contention within the opposition, at a time when the United Arab List expressed its desire to join the governing coalition.
​Accusations and Fears of Incitement
​Simultaneously as the results materialized, political accusations against Arab lists escalated, with Netanyahu accusing these lists of stealing the election and supporting "terrorism," alongside calls for investigations into allegations of electoral manipulation and foreign interference.
​Experts in Israeli affairs warned of the dangers of leveling accusations of foreign influence against the Arab community without presenting clear evidence, noting that circulating such allegations within political and security circles could exacerbate incitement against Arab citizens and undermine the legitimacy of their political representation.
​They also indicated that targeting Arab lists with accusations may aim to deter opposition parties from cooperating with them during government formation negotiations.
​In a related development, Israeli police announced the questioning of suspects regarding their alleged involvement in election bribery schemes, while Israeli media reported the arrest of other suspects within investigations concerning suspicions of offering bribes in exchange for votes for the United Arab List.
​Source: Rum News Agency