Arab parties see record 80% turnout, big election gains

Arab parties see record turnout, big gains

Exit polls show the Joint List winning up to 11 seats and Ra'am taking 7, as Arab voter turnout hits 80 percent, far above previous elections. Joint List chairman Yosef Jabareen: We continue to lead the way… toward equality for all citizens, Jews and Arabs, social justice, and a just peace based on establishing a Palestinian state in the '67 borders.

Arab parties emerged as major winners in Israel's election, according to exit polls released after voting ended, with turnout in the Arab sector reaching approximately 80 percent, significantly higher than in previous election cycles.

The Joint List is projected to win between 10 and 11 Knesset seats across the four television channels' exit polls. Channels 11, 13, and 14 gave the party 10 seats, while Channel 12's poll showed 11 mandates. Ra'am, the Arab party led by Mansour Abbas, is projected to win 7 seats in all four exit polls.

The results represent unprecedented numbers for Arab parties in the Knesset, driven by the sharp increase in Arab voter participation.

Celebrations broke out in Arab towns and villages across the country as the exit poll results were announced, with fireworks and cheers heard in multiple communities.

Yosef Jabareen, chairman of the Joint List, addressed cheering supporters after the exit polls were released: "We continue the campaign to send the extreme right-wing government, Netanyahu, Ben-Gvir and Smotrich home. We hope we will do this and be able to declare that the government of blood, a government that incited wars, the government of Kahanists, we hope that with the real results we will be able to decide and declare that this extreme government will not be able to continue forward."

"Thank you very much to all of you. Thank you very much to all the voters and supporters. And we will continue to lead the way of the public that supports us, toward equality for all citizens, Jews and Arabs, social justice, and a just peace based on establishing a Palestinian state in the '67 borders. We will continue to fight for our principles, and we are proud of our principles. Thank you very much to all of you. Thank you very much to all of you, and we will continue this struggle together until victory. Thank you," Jabareen said.