High voter turnout among Palestinian citizens of Israel threatens Netanyahu

Palestinian citizens of Israel have turned out in unprecedented numbers for Israel’s parliamentary elections, with some towns reporting participation rates exceeding 70 percent. Historically, however, Arab towns have witnessed lower participation rates in Israeli elections, ranging between 45 and 65 percent in recent years. This electoral surge from Palestinian citizens of Israel now threatens to unseat Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his right-wing coalition. For many from this contingent, who might normally have abstained from voting, this election was perceived as a chance to defeat a government that was totally hostile to Palestinians and Arabs at large.