The Palestinian parties have made large gains in Israel’s general election as neither of the two main blocs look set to get a majority in the Knesset.
With 60% of the votes counted, Benjamin Netanyahu and his main rival Gadi Eisenkot are both predicted to fall short of a majority in the 120-seat parliament.
Although Netanyahu’s Likud party is emerging as the largest single party, his far-right ultra nationalist bloc is predicted to win around 55 seats.
Meanwhile, former army chief Eisenkot’s bloc is projected to win 49 seats.
But the most dramatic shift has come with the Arab-led parties, after Arab Israelis – who often identify as Palestinian citizens in Israel – turned out in record numbers in what was seen by many as a key opportunity to defeat the most right-wing government in Israeli history.
The Palestinian parties are predicted to dramatically increase their representation in the Knesset by winning 17 to 18 seats, up from 10.
The Arab bloc is made up two groupings, the Joint List and Ra’am, who now look like they could be kingmakers .
The Joint List are forecast to win 11 or more seats, whilst Ra’am are projected to win seven seats, the Guardian reports.
However, both Netanyahu and Eisenkot had ruled out working with the Arab-led parties in the build-up to the election.
Now that neither look set to win a majority though, the Palestinian parties may represent their only route to power.
In particular, it seems difficult to see how Eisenkot could command a government without the support of the Arab bloc.
This is something Yair Golan, the leader of the left-leaning Democrats party in Eisenkot’s bloc, has now called for.
He said in a post on X: “Netanyahu lost. I know how to count to 120. 65 is more than 55. That’s how Israeli democracy works. Period.
“The picture of reality must teach us one resounding lesson: We have no future here if we don’t stop being afraid. And if we don’t stop with the racism. We must no longer accept Netanyahu’s racist division between Jewish votes and Arab votes.
“The voice of an Israeli citizen voting in Taybeh is worth exactly as much as the voice of an Israeli citizen voting in Givat Shmuel. No less. Not approximately. Exactly.
“Anyone who tries to erase the voices of Arab citizens is surrendering to Netanyahu and giving up on Israel.”
He added: “We have responsibility. And we have an opportunity to form a government of change in partnership with Israel’s Arab citizens.
“A government that will serve all Israeli citizens. Now it takes courage. It takes leadership. It takes stopping the fear and starting to act. A government of change now!”