Arab Media Scrutinize Impact of Regional Vote on Netanyahu's Election Prospects

Regional media across the Middle East are analyzing the upcoming Israeli election with a focus on the potential influence of Arab voters and the political stability of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government. The coverage centers on whether Arab-led parties can alter the balance of power in the Knesset, particularly as neither major political bloc appears guaranteed a parliamentary majority.

Egypt's Alghad TV reported on comments made Sunday by Shadi Shweiri, a politician with the Hadash party. Shweiri described the upcoming vote as a rare chance for Arab citizens of Israel to advance their national demands. He argued that Arab parties should not support any candidate who seeks to replace Netanyahu, but only one willing to stop military operations in the region and improve economic conditions for Arab citizens.

Shweiri accused the current government of racism and of committing crimes against Palestinians in Gaza. He stated that the right to vote was not a gift from Israel but a condition for Israel's acceptance into the United Nations in 1948. "Our situation is that we are being asked to choose between the bad and the worse, rather than between the good and the better," Shweiri said. He added that the right to vote was a fundamental condition for Israel's membership in the international community and that officials could not remove it.

In contrast to the detailed analysis in Arab media, Iranian officials have downplayed the importance of the vote. Esmail Baghaei, the Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman, said Monday that the outcome of Tuesday's election makes no difference to Tehran. Baghaei criticized the concept of elections in occupied territories, describing them as a competition between groups to commit more evil. He stated that it does not matter who leads a regime that has achieved nothing but killing and genocide.

Despite official Iranian dismissal, state-affiliated outlets such as the Tasnim News Agency have tracked polls regarding Likud's chances. The London-based Al-Araby Al-Jadeed reported on concerns that the election could result in a political stalemate. A journalist with the outlet, Beirut Hammoud, framed the contest as occurring after three years of what she described as genocide and ethnic cleansing in Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem.

Hammoud noted declining international support for Israel and argued that opposition politicians differ little from Netanyahu. She claimed they differ only in their methods of managing the conflict. The analysis suggested that even if Netanyahu loses, the new leadership may continue similar policies under different management strategies.

Lebanon's Al-Khanadeq, a media outlet affiliated with Hezbollah, published an analysis alleging that Netanyahu has manipulated the political environment by portraying the Arab vote as a liability. The report cited AI-generated campaign material showing political figures, including Gadi Eisenkot, alongside Mansour Abbas, the leader of the Ra'am party. The author argued that this strategy targets the soft right and increases the political cost of forming a government based on Arab partnership.

The Al-Khanadeq analysis also referenced efforts by the Central Elections Committee to disqualify Arab-majority parties. It alleged that 2,000 activists were deployed to deter Arab citizens from voting. The outlet characterized these actions as attempts by Netanyahu to evade the consequences of the electoral process.

The Palestinian news site Al Quds, based in East Jerusalem, highlighted the timing of the Israeli vote relative to the United States midterm elections. Ahmed Youseff, a former senior adviser to Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, wrote that a victory for Eisenkot could reopen diplomatic channels and hold officials accountable for security failures. Youseff stated that the hopes for the election include a loss for Netanyahu's allies, a reassessment of war policies, and a reduction in incitement.

Youseff noted that the American vote could also curb the drive toward confrontation and empower Congress to push for a political path that spares the region a wider war. He concluded that the value of these elections will be measured by the opportunities they provide for accountability, pressure, and policy change, and by whether voter voices translate into concrete steps that curb war and extremism.