Palestinian citizens of Israel hope election results bring change

Palestinian citizens of Israel expressed optimism on Wednesday following the strong showing of Arab parties in the elections.

“The preliminary results, how did they turn out, are excellent results for the Arab community," said Brosli Elias, a Nazareth resident.

“In my opinion, the election results reflect people’s attitudes, their desire for change, and we hope that this change will be for the better," said Roya Saleh, 18, another Nazareth resident.

"We expect the people who were elected to take responsibility and work on the issues that matter to our community, especially violence, crime, education, and job opportunities.”

Crime was a central issue that drove Palestinian citizens of Israel to the polls.

The Abraham Initiatives, an organization that promotes coexistence and equality in Israel, has tallied 186 crime-related killings in Arab communities so far in 2026.

Palestinians who remained within Israel after the 1948 war surrounding its creation, and their descendants, today make up about 20% of the population.

They have citizenship, including the right to vote, but their close family ties and support for Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank lead many Jewish Israelis to view them with suspicion.

They face discrimination and suffer from soaring crime rates, a problem that Arab activists blame on police negligence and the police say is rooted in the refusal of community leaders to work with them.

We want to live, we want a future for our children, and we want a future for ourselves," said Awni Zoabi, a Nazareth resident.

"Today, you see the situation, you walk around today, and they don’t want you in certain places to speak in the Arabic language. The Arabic language has become as if it were a crime.”

Israelis are closely awaiting final election results and what they mean for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's far-right government.

Vote counting indicates no clear winner, leading to potential weeks of negotiations to form a coalition for a majority of seats in parliament.

Arab-led parties could play a crucial role in coalition-building.

Netanyahu remains defiant, dismissing partnerships with Arab parties.

His main challenger, Gadi Eisenkot, is open to such alliances. Still, the polls indicate Netanyahu's Likud party has lost seats but remains the largest. There is the potential for another election if no government is formed.

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