Over 7.3 million Israeli voters will cast their ballots on Tuesday (October 27) for the Israeli parliamentary election . No single party or bloc is projected to win a majority in the 120-seat Knesset — both the right-wing bloc led by the incumbent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the opposition (“Change”) bloc led by Gadi Eisenkot each sit near 53, short of the 61 needed.

Arab citizens, who are 21% of Israel’s population, make the Arab parties pivotal. Poll averages put the Joint List — a three-party alliance of Hadash, Ta’al, and Balad — at about eight seats and the Ra’am party (also known as the United Arab List) at about six.

The war and destruction in Gaza — especially after the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel orchestrated by the militant group Hamas — have made Arab participation harder.…