Israeli politician, Hadash member in the Knesset
A former Israeli police official will run on Raam's election list, making him the first Jewish Israeli to stand for an explicitly Arab party. Mansour Abbas announces the anti-crime platform and Yoav Segalovitz joins, highlighting cross-communal cooperation as polls project Raam to win five or six seats in the Knesset.
Arab parties face disqualification challenges as Israel's election rules are tested. The Supreme Court and Central Elections Committee are at the center of rulings that could shape representation for Palestinian citizens ahead of the October 27 vote.
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 parties in Israel have secured a historic 19 seats in the Knesset amid record turnout, challenging the Jewish political establishment and complicating coalition talks. Netanyahu’s bloc remains short of a majority, while Arab lists push for influence without entering a formal government coalition.