Israel voted for Israel: Why Gaza wasn’t on the ballot — SkimNews
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- Israel held a parliamentary election on October 27 with 53 seats going to Netanyahu’s coalition and 48 to the opposition, leaving both short of the 61 needed for a majority.
- Arab parties won a record 19 seats, becoming the third-largest bloc but remaining excluded from direct coalition influence as Jewish-led alliances reject their political inclusion.
- Benjamin Netanyahu maintained his position as leader of the largest bloc, leveraging a campaign centered on security and fear after the October 7 attacks to rally support.
- Yehouda Shenhav-Shahrabani stated that while many Israelis are aware of Gaza’s devastation, there is widespread denial of its moral and political implications, shaping voter priorities.
- Roi Zur noted that Netanyahu successfully framed the election as a contest over national identity and security, convincing supporters he is the only leader capable of managing post-October 7 realities.
- Ahron Bregman described Netanyahu’s base as tribal or cult-like, loyal to the prime minister regardless of accountability for policy failures or war conduct.
Why it matters: Netanyahu’s bloc gains no mandate to govern alone, forcing coalition talks where Arab parties hold pivotal seats but are politically isolated. The result entrenches a status quo that sidelines accountability for Gaza and West Bank policies, despite their human cost and international condemnation.
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