Israel election could hinge on Arab parties and coalition deals, analyst says

With a little more than three weeks before the Israeli elections, an opinion poll suggests no party has enough support to form a majority government. Parties need at least 61 of the 120 seats in the Knesset, meaning coalitions will likely be necessary. A survey by Times of Israel-affiliated sites says parties backing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are likely to secure 53 seats, while those opposing him could win 49 seats. Palestinian Israeli parties are polling at 13 seats; they also oppose Netanyahu but rarely enter coalitions. Yossi Mekelberg, an associate fellow at Chatham House, told Al Jazeera from London that while the opposition is just ahead, the key question is whether opposition parties are prepared to change their minds and form a coalition with Arab parties. He noted that the Democrats have said they are ready, and if others follow, a stable coalition is possible; otherwise, a prolonged stalemate or another election could follow. He said Arab Israelis, who make up about 17 percent of the electorate, could hold the balance of power, noting that Mansour Abbas of Ra'am was part of the government led by Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid. Mekelberg added that excluding Arab parties means excluding about 21 percent of Israel's population from political participation. On the main election issues, he cited the judicial overhaul before October 7, security across seven fronts, the need for an independent commission of inquiry into October 7, Israel's increased international isolation, people leaving the country and the drafting of ultra-Orthodox men. Subscribe to our channel: http://bit.ly/AJSubscribe Follow us on X: https://X.com/AJEnglish Find us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aljazeera Check our website: http://www.aljazeera.com/ Check out our Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/aljazeeraenglish/ Download AJE Mobile App: https://aje.news/AJEMobile #Israel #IsraelElection #IsraelOppositionParties #IsraeliPolitics #BenjaminNetanyahu #GadiEisenkot #Yashar #YairLapid #NaftaliBennett #IsraelPolitics #JointList #UnitedArabList #OtzmaYehudit #ItamarBenGvir #Likud #IsraeliElection