Israel Election: 2 Million Voters Weigh Far-Right Shift
With 40 new settlements proposed in the Naqab, Palestinian citizens face a vote that may not change their daily reality.
By Hiroshi Sato ·
Palestinian citizens of Israel face a difficult choice in Tuesday's general election as the country's political center of gravity shifts rightward. While the broader electorate debates the future of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, roughly 20 percent of the population, who are Palestinian, worry about the erosion of their collective rights under either major camp.
The stakes have risen in recent months. In August, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich unveiled a plan to establish 40 new settlements in the Naqab and northern Israel. His proposal aims to add one million Jewish residents to these regions through new settlements, farms, and housing units. This move seeks to extend the model of territorial control seen in the West Bank to areas where Palestinian communities are concentrated.
Security dynamics in Palestinian towns have also tightened. National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has expanded access to personal firearms, issuing 300,000 gun licenses since taking office. His administration is also developing a National Guard, a force originally prompted by the May 2021 Dignity Uprising in towns like Haifa and Lydd. This new unit is intended to suppress mass unrest, though its specific operational role is still under development.
Organized crime has further complicated life in these communities. Criminal networks have obtained advanced weapons, reportedly stolen from army stockpiles or smuggled across borders. This militarization of local crime has resulted in hundreds of deaths, while Israeli law enforcement has often lagged in response.
Many Palestinian voters question if supporting the anti-Netanyahu bloc, led by former general Gadi Eisenkot, will actually reverse these trends. The United Arab List, or Ra'am, joined the government formed in 2021 after excluding Netanyahu, yet failed to implement fundamental changes for Palestinian citizens. In 2022, party member Mazen Ghnaim admitted he could not push through beneficial policies despite being in the ruling coalition.
The political landscape remains divided. Ra'am argues that parliamentary participation can remove the far right from power. Conversely, critics note that the anti-Netanyahu coalition has not challenged the structural discrimination faced by Palestinian citizens, including discriminatory laws and underfunded services. The upcoming vote offers a chance to slow this transformation, but few expect a complete reversal of the current political direction.
The election will determine whether the government continues under Netanyahu or shifts to the opposition led by Eisenkot. For the 2 million Palestinian citizens of Israel, the outcome may not immediately alter their legal status or daily conditions, but it will shape the intensity of the policies governing their land and security.
Source: Al Jazeera
