Israel's 2 Million Arab Citizens Face a Tough Vote

General elections in Israel open on Tuesday, October 27. For the country's two million Palestinian citizens, the vote presents a distinct challenge compared to that of Jewish Israelis. While many Jewish voters choose between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his rivals led by former general Gadi Eisenkot, Palestinian citizens face a more complex calculation. They must decide if their ballots can influence a political landscape that has shifted sharply to the far right.

Palestinian citizens constitute 20 percent of Israel's population. Since gaining citizenship in 1952, they have participated in the political system. However, advocates argue that formal citizenship has not delivered substantive equality. Communities report systemic underfunding of basic services and discriminatory laws. Violence against Palestinian towns has increased, often driven by organized crime groups that have obtained advanced weapons from army stockpiles or border smuggling.

The political environment has grown more restrictive. In August, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich unveiled a plan to add one million Jewish residents to the Naqab and northern Israel. The proposal includes establishing 40 new settlements and creating hundreds of thousands of new housing units. This initiative aims to extend territorial control into regions where Palestinian communities are concentrated. The government has also strengthened settler security squads and integrated them into the national security framework.

National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has expanded state policing capabilities. He issued 300,000 gun licenses since taking office and is developing a National Guard. This force was originally prompted by the May 2021 protests, known as the Dignity Uprising, which spread across Palestinian towns like Lydd and Haifa. Ben-Gvir supports using the guard to suppress unrest, raising questions about the protection of democratic freedoms in Palestinian neighborhoods.

The United Arab List, led by Mansour Abbas, has argued for supporting the anti-Netanyahu bloc to remove the far right from power. The party joined the coalition government formed after the 2021 elections. That alliance excluded Netanyahu but failed to implement fundamental changes for Palestinian citizens. In 2022, party member Mazen Ghnaim acknowledged that he could not push through beneficial policies despite being part of the ruling coalition. He noted the heavy criticism he faced when visiting Palestinian communities.

The experience suggests that support for the opposition may slow certain projects but cannot reverse deeper structural changes. The cultural shift toward far-right policies extends beyond the current government and is embedded in social attitudes. The fate of Palestinian citizens remains tied to the broader Palestinian population, a connection that local leaders are increasingly expected to address through grassroots organizing and institutional reform.