Value of every Arab vote, difference single seat can make in upcoming Israeli elections

• Salma Hossein
• . October 25, 2022
• . Update: November 11, 2022 1:23 am
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The Arab minority in Israel is now numb and seemingly let down by endless political chaos and wrangling in the country and fight for their rights and land. As Israel is about to hold its fifth general elections, the stakes for Arab minority community are more than ever.

Former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the leader of right wing religious bloc is cozying up with joined forces of anti Palestinian extremists, and according to the recent polls has joined hands with. This is definitely not a welcoming news for Palestinian citizens of Israel, also called as Arab Palestinians, and even more pressing is the urgency and criticality that each single member of the community goes out to vote in the upcoming elections and make sure their representative is part of the most crucial table in Knesset. Because if the turnout is low then in most probability the coalition headed by Netanyahu, the most right wing government ever in history of Israel will be formed.

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According to analysis in the run up for November 1 scheduled election in Israel, only about 40 per cent of the Arab people in region might come out to vote. The reason is not that they don’t want to vote, but because they are tired of speaking and not being listened to and being just as a political tool in bureaucracy. “We are not desperate yet, but this election is very important. Just one seat, just 35,000 votes, could make the difference,” said Ahmad Tibi, the leader of the Arab nationalist party Ta’al last week, ahead of a campaign event in the village of Kfar Uzier near Nazareth. “It is a huge challenge to convince people that anything can change, but we have a lot to fight for yet.” This is critical for plenty of reasons – to tackle surge in crime against the Arab community; to dismantle the Israeli occupation in Palestinian territories; and most importantly to protect the status quo at Jerusalem’s Al Aqsa comppund.

The past four elections in Israel have had a sole agenda – vote to keep out Netanyahu from office deeming he is unfit to lead the country. But Arab people were each time met with disappointment – three of these elections were inconclusive and one ended with formation of a fragile government that managed to oust Benjamin Netanyahu after his 12 years in office. “Things stay the same, or they get worse,” said one member of the community.