As election votes are counted, israeli right makes provocative statements on Arab voters and Gaza
Claims about Arab turnout
Earlier on Tuesday, Bezalel Smotrich said turnout was unusually high in Arab communities and left-wing strongholds. He posted the claim on Facebook but gave no figures to support it.
Benjamin Netanyahu, leader of Likud, made similar appeals while voting. He said Arab voters were heading to polling stations in large numbers and warned that an opposition win would endanger Israel’s Jewish character.
Allegations and Gaza plans
The article says senior right-wing figures also spoke about alleged efforts to steal the election and plans for Jewish settlements in Gaza. It does not provide details supporting the election-fraud claims.
One speaker said opponents would not undo the government’s settlement “revolution” and declared that Jewish settlements would be built in Gaza. The report does not identify that speaker in the passage.
Coalition talks remain uncertain
With neither major camp holding a clear majority, Arab-led parties could influence the next government’s formation. Police said three people were arrested on suspicion of voter bribery, but there was no indication that they held senior roles in Ra’am.
Dov Waxman, a British-American political scientist, told Al Jazeera that Netanyahu would likely try to convince the public that a coalition including Arab parties was “illegitimate”. Mansour Abbas, Ra’am’s leader, said he had been approached by both Likud and the opposition camp led by Gadi Eisenkot, a former military chief who heads Yashar.
Key points
- Neither major political camp had secured a clear majority as votes were counted.
- Smotrich alleged turnout was unusually high in Arab and left-wing areas but offered no figures.
- Police arrested three people on suspicion of voter bribery; no senior Ra’am role was indicated.
- Ra’am leader Mansour Abbas said Likud and the opposition camp had approached him.