Israel election: Right-wing leaders warn against Arab parties as votes count

Election results in Israel left both major political camps without a clear majority, placing Arab-led parties in a decisive position for forming the next government. Exit polls indicated that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s governing alliance faced a setback during Tuesday's vote. This outcome means that negotiations with smaller factions, including those with significant Arab representation, will determine who holds executive power.

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich addressed his far-right Religious Zionism party's headquarters in Jerusalem early Wednesday. He stated that his opponents would not reverse the government's settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank. Smotrich declared that Jewish settlements will be established in Gaza, a territory where Israel dismantled its settlements in 2005.

Earlier on Tuesday, Smotrich posted on Facebook that voter turnout was unusually high in Arab communities and left-wing strongholds. He did not provide specific figures to support this claim. He warned that a lack of mobilization among right-wing voters could allow what he called terror supporters to enter the government.

Prime Minister Netanyahu, leader of the Likud party, made similar appeals during voting hours. He warned that Arab voters were rushing to polling stations and suggested an opposition victory would threaten Israel's Jewish character. Netanyahu also accused three senior figures from the Arab-majority Ra’am party of attempting to steal the election.

Police confirmed they arrested three people on suspicion of voter bribery, but officials said there was no indication that these individuals held senior positions in Ra’am. Transportation Minister Miri Regev, also from Likud, posted on X that the opposition was trying to steal the elections and the country. She stated that the choice was between the right or Palestine.

British-American political scientist Dov Waxman told Al Jazeera that Netanyahu’s likely strategy is to convince the public that a governing coalition including Arab parties is illegitimate. Arab political leaders condemned Netanyahu's election-day messages as racist and inflammatory.

Al Jazeera correspondent Nida Ibrahim reported from Ramallah that Netanyahu's right-wing and religious bloc was projected to win 56 seats with about 55 percent of ballots counted. This falls short of the 61 seats required for a majority in the 120-seat parliament. Mansour Abbas, leader of Ra’am, said he received approaches from both Netanyahu’s Likud and the opposition camp led by Gadi Eisenkot.