Loewenstein: Election Results Leave Arab Parties Out of Power

Israeli voters recently cast ballots in a general election where the final outcome remains pending. Antony Loewenstein, an independent journalist and author of The Palestine Laboratory, stated that the results indicate a persistent reluctance among Jewish voters to share governing power with Arab parties.

The political structure in Israel has long separated Jewish and Arab representation. Loewenstein noted that there is no major difference between Benjamin Netanyahu and the opposition bloc on key issues such as Iran, Lebanon, Gaza, and the West Bank. While it is currently unclear who won, Netanyahu’s block appears slightly ahead, a lead that could shift in the coming days or weeks.

Loewenstein argued that a large proportion, if not the majority, of Jewish Israeli voters do not want Arabs in government. He added that these voters often do not believe in self-determination for Arabs and do not want real change in the West Bank or Gaza. He said some voters want to remove all Arabs from Palestine and as many as possible from Israel itself.

Arab parties won a large share of the vote, a result Loewenstein attributed to Palestinian citizens of Israel and left-wing Israeli Jews supporting them. He stated that in a sane country, those parties would hold seats in the government or a sizable opposition. However, both the opposition and Netanyahu’s camp have refused to include them in a coalition.

Because both major blocs rejected the Arab parties, Loewenstein concluded that Jewish supremacy is the law of the land. The final coalition negotiations will determine whether the Arab representatives gain seats in the Knesset or remain outside the government structure.