Israel's New Knesset Sworn In Amid Coalition Deadlock
Does Arab participation in Israeli elections prove a working democracy or does it mask a system of structural exclusion?
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Above: A view of the inaugural session of the Knesset in Jerusalem, on Nov. 10. Image credit: Amir Levy/Getty Images
The Facts
- Israel's 26th Knesset was sworn in Tuesday, two weeks after an election that left no bloc with a majority. President Isaac Herzog tasked Gadi Eisenkot with forming a government on Sunday, giving him 28 days and a two-week extension.
- Of the 120 members sworn in after the Oct. 27 election, 46 had not served in the previous Knesset, while Yonatan Shalev, 24, became the youngest lawmaker in 66 years.
- The two Arab-led alliances won a record 19 seats as turnout in Arab communities rose from 53% in 2022 to about 77%. Joint List lawmakers walked out of the plenum during the national anthem.
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The Spin
Anti-Israel narrative
Letting Palestinians cast ballots in a system built on their dispossession doesn't legitimize the Israeli system. Every major Jewish party, not just the far right, has ruled out Arab parties joining a coalition, which leaves those votes hollow. Seats in a parliament that still denies collective rights and self-determination can't be mistaken for equality.
Pro-Israel narrative
A minority that votes in record numbers, runs its own parties and ends up holding the keys to any governing majority is not living under apartheid. Israeli democracy worked exactly as advertised: a long-serving prime minister faced the voters and came up short of a majority. The apartheid and dictatorship labels deserve to be retired for good.
