My Word: Arab voting and the bigger picture - opinion
Liat Collins analyzes the high Arab voter turnout in Israel's October 27 election, the gains made by Arab parties (Joint List 11 seats, Ra'am 8 seats), and the controversies around alleged fraud, gender-separated polling, and the role of Arab MKs in coalition politics. The piece critiques the platforms of the Joint List and Ra'am, including their refusal to call Hamas a terrorist organization and their opposition to military operations and conscription.
Liat Collins' opinion piece examines the high Arab voter turnout in Israel's October 27, 2026 election, which reached nearly 80% compared to 53% in 2022. Arab parties made significant gains: the Joint List won 11 seats and Ra'am won 8 seats. The article discusses allegations of voter fraud funded by foreign sources, a Shin Bet investigation, and reports of gender-separated polling hours in some Arab communities. Collins notes that the Central Elections Committee stated the allegations would not affect election results. The piece critiques the platforms of the Joint List and Ra'am, including their refusal to call Hamas a terrorist organization and their opposition to military operations. It also compares the treatment of Arab citizens in Israel to the Palestinian Authority, quoting Amit Segal's social media post. The article suggests that integrating Arab candidates into larger parties could strengthen Israeli democracy.