Israel’s October 27 legislative elections recorded a massive voter turnout of 77.7%, the highest since 1999. The country’s Arab citizens, who turned up in massive numbers to vote, remained one of the main factors, contributing to the surge.
exit polls recorded by Channel 12 estimate Arab voter turnout to be nearly 80% While the official figures for voter turnout among Israeli Arabs are yet to be released by the Central Elections Committee. A survey by the Israel Democracy Institute published in September revealed that a party’s position regarding foreign affairs and security, followed by the economy and high cost of living, were the two most influential factors determining the support of Jewish Israelis. Because of the conduct of their parties,” said Arik Rudnitzky, from the Israel Democracy Institute in Jerusalem, we know that approximately 10% of Arab citizens boycott Knesset elections for ideological reasons, but the majority are reluctant to take part in this political game. Because arab citizens have had enough in the past four years,” Mr, fear of another term of the Netanyahu government or a right-wing government.
This implies that the voter turnout among Arab citizens in Israel would be the highest in at least a decade. “In the previous elections, I think the low voter turnout was a result of disappointment mainly from Arab parties themselves. This trend was defied in the latest election. “I believe the number one motivator specifically in these elections is fear. This surge was used by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his coalition to mobilise right-wing voters. Mr. His posts tried to mobilise voters by calling the situation “a war at home. This attempt was criticised by Arab parties for being racist and for inciting hatred.
Rudnitzky told The Hindu. Netanyahu, on his X, called on his supporters to vote for Likud and described the situation as a “matter of life and death”.
