Israel’s election rhetoric: What candidates said, and how they performed

Israel's recent parliamentary election has plunged the nation into political uncertainty, with neither of the two main blocs securing the necessary 61 seats to form a government. The results underscore a deeply divided electorate and the growing complexity of coalition arithmetic. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party emerged as the largest single party, yet his bloc collectively fell eight seats short of a majority. Similarly, the opposition bloc, led by Gadi Eisenkot's Yashar Party, found itself 13 seats shy. This deadlock necessitates intricate negotiations, potentially forcing unlikely alliances or leading to further political instability.

Benjamin Netanyahu

Benjamin Netanyahu's campaign was characterized by strong anti-Palestinian rhetoric, particularly targeting Arab-majority parties. He warned against a government relying on what he termed "anti-Zionist Arab parties" and, post-election, his Likud party controversially claimed the elections were "stolen by Arab parties that support terrorism." These claims, dismissed by police and the Central Elections Committee, reflect a strategy of galvanizing his base through fear-mongering and delegitimizing political opponents. Despite Likud's plurality, this divisive approach has made it exceedingly difficult for Netanyahu to forge a broad coalition, as many parties, including those within his own ideological spectrum, are hesitant to align with such extreme positions or are themselves targets of similar rhetoric.

Arab-majority parties

The election saw a historic shift in the influence of Arab-majority parties, which collectively secured 19 seats, driven by an unprecedented 80 percent turnout among Palestinian citizens of Israel. This surge in representation has positioned them as potential kingmakers, yet their path to government participation is fraught with challenges. Both Netanyahu and opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot explicitly ruled out forming coalitions with Arab parties during their campaigns, citing ideological differences. Eisenkot stated he did not "see an Arab party that accepts my principles," while Netanyahu's post-election accusations further poisoned the well. The dilemma now is whether any bloc can overcome its stated aversion to Arab parties, or if the political system will remain gridlocked, unable to form a stable government without their support. Their increased electoral strength, however, signals a growing political consciousness and mobilization within the Palestinian citizen community in Israel.

Itamar Ben-Gvir

The election also highlighted the significant, albeit contained, performance of extreme right-wing figures like Itamar Ben-Gvir of Otzma Yehudit and Bezalel Smotrich of Religious Zionism-Zehut. Ben-Gvir, known for his inflammatory rhetoric, including statements that some Palestinians in Gaza "shouldn't live," secured seven seats, less than half of his ambitious target of 15. Smotrich, who advocated for "Jewish settlements in Gaza" and the "Judaization of the Negev and the Galilee," won six seats. While their individual party performances were not as dominant as they hoped, their presence within Netanyahu's bloc contributes to the overall right-wing tilt and the difficulty in forming a moderate government. Their extreme views on Palestinian rights and territorial expansion further complicate any potential cross-bloc negotiations or attempts to build a government that could command broad public support, pushing the political discourse further to the right and making compromise increasingly elusive.