Arab voter turnout surges past 2022 figures as haredi strongholds lag behind

Voter turnout in several Arab-majority cities had already surpassed the final figures recorded in the 2022 Knesset election by 6 p.m. on Tuesday, while predominantly haredi (ultra-Orthodox) cities remained below their previous election totals, according to election-day turnout figures, as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned that high Arab participation could affect the election's outcome.

In Umm al-Fahm, turnout reached 56.1% by 6 p.m., compared with a final turnout of 51.33% in 2022, an increase of 4.77 percentage points, with several hours of voting still remaining.

A similar trend emerged in Kafr Qasim, where turnout reached 73.9%, surpassing the 70.31% recorded in 2022. In Nazareth, 58.4% of eligible voters had cast their ballots, compared with 55.75% in the previous election.

The largest increase among the four Arab-majority cities examined was recorded in Rahat, where turnout reached 72.2% by 6 p.m., compared with 59.54% in 2022, a difference of 12.66 percentage points.

Netanyahu warns of high Arab turnout, calls on right-wing voters

The figures prompted concern among right-wing leaders, with Netanyahu and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich coordinating efforts to increase turnout among their supporters amid what they described as concerning Arab voter participation.

"This is an emergency call! The future of our Jewish state is at stake," Netanyahu wrote on X on Tuesday.

"Get out and vote Likud now! Higher-than-usual turnout in the Arab sector compared with low turnout among right-wing voters. We must wake up – we cannot stay home. Go out and vote Likud and get as many people out as possible!"

In a separate appeal, Netanyahu warned that the high turnout among Arab voters could influence the election's outcome, urging right-wing supporters to head to polling stations.

Haredi strongholds remain below 2022 turnout

Meanwhile, several predominantly haredi cities recorded turnout figures that remained substantially below their final 2022 totals.

In Bnei Brak, 64.3% of eligible voters had cast their ballots by 6 p.m., compared with 77.27% in 2022, a gap of 12.97 percentage points.

Elad recorded turnout of 71.2%, compared with 85.77% in the previous election, while Modi'in Illit stood at 69.8%, compared with 84.51% in 2022.

Jerusalem, which has a substantial haredi population alongside other communities, recorded turnout of 66.7%, already exceeding its final 2022 figure of 63.37%.

Shas chairman Arye Deri also expressed concern over turnout among Arab and left-wing voters, warning of efforts to unseat the current government.

"Tens of thousands of people came from abroad in order to vote, to topple the Torah rule," Deri said.

Civil rights groups warn of voting disruptions in Arab communities

The high turnout figures came despite reports of possible disruptions at polling stations in Arab communities, prompting appeals to the Central Elections Committee.

The Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI) warned Tuesday that voting could be deliberately obstructed in several Arab towns, citing unusually slow processing of voters and lengthy queues.

The organization appealed to CEC Chairman Justice Noam Sohlberg to dispatch inspectors to affected polling stations, warning that the delays could prevent voters from exercising their democratic rights.

Reports of delays emerged from Rahat, Tel Sheva, Laqiya, Segev Shalom, Kafr Kara, Tamra, Tira, and several other Arab localities.

In Segev Shalom, police and Border Police personnel reportedly prevented voters from entering a polling station compound, despite relatively few voters being inside, leaving approximately 200 people waiting outside.

Separately, the Adalah Legal Center for Arab Minority Rights in Israel appealed to the CEC over reports that Arabic-language ballot slips were missing from several polling stations, demanding that the slips be supplied urgently.

The reported disruptions have not been established as deliberate interference.

The contrasting turnout figures highlight the importance of voter participation in Tuesday's election, although the final picture will only become clear after polling stations close.

While Arab-majority cities have already surpassed their 2022 turnout levels, haredi strongholds still have several hours to narrow the gap. The figures do not establish how voters cast their ballots or whether the turnout patterns will translate into changes in Knesset representation.