Arab parties win 19 seats in Israel vote, shifting power balance
High Bedouin turnout allowed the Joint List to secure a historic number of Knesset seats, forcing both major blocs into complex coalition calculations.
By Luis Medina ·
Palestinian parties secured 19 seats in the Israeli Knesset election on Tuesday, a result driven by high voter turnout among the Bedouin community. This outcome places the Joint List in a decisive position to influence the formation of the next government. The bloc now holds enough power to determine whether Benjamin Netanyahu or Gadi Eisenkot will lead a new coalition.
Netanyahu lost his parliamentary majority, but the opposition requires more than just Jewish parties to control the Knesset. Gadi Eisenkot, the likely candidate for prime minister from the opposition, needs to work with the Palestinian bloc to reach a workable majority. This creates a political puzzle for Eisenkot, as many Jewish voters and members of parliament view an alliance with Palestinian parties as a difficult line to cross.
Emma Graham-Harrison, the Middle East correspondent for The Guardian, reported that women’s self-organization played a key role in the high turnout. In some areas, up to 93 percent of eligible voters cast their ballots. This surge in participation gave the Arab coalition a historic opportunity to change the direction of Israeli politics. Yousef Jabareen, the leader of the bloc, told Julian Borger that the Joint List is prepared to offer tactical support to an Eisenkot-led minority government.
The election results highlight the complexity of the proportional representation system in Israel. The presence of many parties on the ballot often prevents an immediate, clear winner. Jonathan Freedland noted in a cover story that the 2026 election presents both a philosophical and a political challenge for the country. Netanyahu’s loss contains a path to a possible win, while Eisenkot’s road to success depends on bridging the divide between Jewish and Palestinian voters.
Voting also began in the United States for the midterm elections on Tuesday. The results of that vote will determine the balance of power in Washington for the next two years. The Guardian Weekly will analyze the impact of the US midterms and the Israeli election in its next issue.
The Joint List is now the central figure in the upcoming coalition talks. The outcome of these negotiations will determine who takes the oath of office as prime minister. Both sides are aware that the 19 seats won by the Arab parties are essential for forming a stable government.
The next step is the counting of remaining ballots and the official certification of the results. Leaders from the major parties are expected to meet in the coming days to discuss coalition options. The final government composition will depend on how many seats each party receives in the final count.
