Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spent election day on Tuesday,27 October 2026, warning his supporters that Arab citizens were turning out in large numbers and accusing them of attempting to “steal the election.” The remarks, delivered through social media posts and a video message, formed a central part of Likud's final push to mobilise its base in a closely contested general election.

Netanyahu's election-day warnings

In posts on X and a video appeal to Likud voters, Netanyahu highlighted long queues at polling stations in Arab-majority towns, claimed buses were ferrying voters, and described Arab turnout – particularly in the Negev – as higher than Jewish areas. He urged right-wing supporters to “race to the ballot,” skip beaches and barbercues, and vote Likud, framing the contest as a “matter of life and death” for the Jewish state.

He specifically accused Ra'am (United Arab List) operatives of trying to steal the election, linking the claim to the overnight arrest of three people from Bedouin communities in the south on suspicion of vote-buying. Police recovered cash-filled envelopes containing more than NIS 24,000 and Ra'am ballot slips. Netanyahu referred to the suspects as “senior Ra'am” figures, though police did not identify them as such, and the Central Electronics Committee described the incident as a localised case with no evidence of systematic fraud.

Netanyahu also warned that high Arab participation could produce a government involving Arab parties such as those led by Mansour Abbas (Ra'am) and figures associated with the Joint List, which he portrayed as a threat to Israel's character. His rhetoric echoed long-standing campaign themes casting Arab electoral participation as a danger to the Jewish majority.

Arab leaders condemn remarks as incitement

Arab political leaders strongly condemned the remarks as racist incitement and a deliberate scare tactic. Joint List leader Yousef Jabareen accused Netanyahu of questioning the legitimacy of Arab citizens' right to vote and influence politics, declaring that the Arab public would “punish” him at the ballot box. Ra'am leader Mansour Abbas called the claims a lie designed to mobilise right-wing voters.

The legal advocacy group Adalah reported complaints of slow-moving or stalled queues, discouragement of voters, and other obstacles at some Arab polling stations. Opposition figures, including from Gadi Eisenkot's Yashar party, accused Netanyahu of laying the groundwork to challenge results if he lost, noting reports that Likud had prepared allegations of fraud focused on Arab communities even before polls opened.

High Arab turnout and early results

Arab citizens of Israel, who make up roughly 21 percent of the population, have historically turned out at lower rates than Jewish voters. Early reports and later analysis indicated unusually high participation in many Arab towns on election day, with some localities recording sharp increases compared with 2022.

Exit polls projected the Joint List and Ra'am together winning around 17-18 seats – nearly double their previous representation – potentially positioning them as influential players in a fragmented Knesset where neither Netanyahu's right-religious bloc nor the main opposition camp secured a clear path to 61 seats.

Election authorities maintained there was no indication of widespread ballot tampering. The Central Elections Committee noted the bribery arrests as unusual but isolated and said reports of other irregularities were being addressed. Turnout overall was high by historical standards for the early hours of voting.

Broader political context

Netanyahu's election-day messaging fits a pattern of using Arab voter turnout as a mobilisation tool for his base. Critics, including Arab politicians and some opposition voices, argued it undermined democratic norms by casting a large segment of the citizenry as illegitimate participants. Supporters viewed the high Arab turnout and the arrests as legitimate reasons for concern about the integrity and outcome of the vote.

As results continued to be finalised and coalition talks loomed, the accusations highlighted the deep political and demographic divides shaping Israel's post-election landscape.