Arab town in Israel’s Galilee, population 15,429 (2024)
A man convicted of a hate-crime assault in Manhattan has been sentenced to 90 days in jail, followed by five years of probation, under a plea agreement. The case harkens back to a 2023 incident where the victim, a Jewish Israeli, was taunted with antisemitic slurs near Times Square. The sentencing notes included a smile from the defendant as authorities described the attack and the broader spike in antisemitic incidents.
Arab-Israeli voters are mobilising ahead of the October 27 election, with turnout surging among Palestinian citizens of Israel. Polls suggest Arab lists could be kingmakers, potentially shaping whether Netanyahu or Eisenkot leads the next government. The dynamic is redefining coalition math in a deeply divided Israel.
Israel has held tightly contested elections that have produced a record Arab-led Knesset presence: Ra’am has increased to eight seats and the Joint List to 11, giving Arab parties a combined 19 of 120 seats. Neither Benjamin Netanyahu’s right-wing bloc nor Gadi Eisenkot’s opposition has reached 61 seats, leaving Arab lists with potential leverage over coalition formation.
Palestinian citizens in Israel face potential intimidation as Likud and Religious Zionist activists plan to deploy about 2,000 observers to polling stations. Rights groups have filed petitions to ban armed polling officials, citing risk of violence and voter suppression ahead of Election Day.