Shafaq News- Middle East (Updated at 16:27)
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged Likud supporters to vote on Tuesday, warning that high Arab turnout could threaten his party’s chances in a closely contested general election.
In a video message, Netanyahu claimed that Arab voter turnout in the southern Negev region was far higher than Jewish turnout, without providing figures to support the comparison. “They are trying to steal the election from us,” he said, referring to the arrest of three operatives from the Arab-led Ra’am party on suspicion of bribing voters.
זו קריאת חירום למצביעי הליכוד! היום אף אחד לא נשאר בבית. אין ים, אין מנגל. דואגים שגם המשפחה, החברים והשכנים מגיעים לקלפי. על הכף מונח עתידה של המדינה היהודית שלנו: ממשלת ימין חזקה או ממשלת שמאל בתמיכת המפלגות הערביות. יוצאים להצביע מחל בכל הכוח! https://t.co/MBYHRe4d18
— Benjamin Netanyahu - בנימין נתניהו (@netanyahu) October 27, 2026
Netanyahu called on supporters to head to polling stations rather than spend the day at the beach or attend barbecues, warning that a victory by opposition Zionist and Arab parties would “bring an end to the Jewish state as we know it.” He also raised concerns in several social media posts about higher turnout among Arab and left-wing voters than among right-wing supporters.
אוטובוסים יוצאים לקלפיות, ותורי ענק מדווחים ביישובים הערביים. ובנתיים, מעוזי הימין לא מתעוררים! אם לא נצא עכשיו להצביע, נמצא את עצמנו עם ממשלה של המפלגות הערביות. אסור להישאר בבית. כל קול קובע! יוצאים עכשיו להצביע - מחל, הליכוד🇮🇱 https://t.co/xUT9J3nBuv
— Benjamin Netanyahu - בנימין נתניהו (@netanyahu) October 27, 2026
The Yashar party, headed by Netanyahu’s main challenger, Gadi Eisenkot, accused him of attempting to undermine public confidence in the vote through “unsubstantiated fraud allegations.”
“Netanyahu is panicking and has begun making up stories and claiming that the election is being stolen. This is no accident. He is already laying the groundwork to challenge the election results,” the party stated, calling on supporters to deliver a “decisive victory that would leave Netanyahu little room to challenge the result.”
Israelis began voting on Tuesday in their first general election since the Hamas-led attack of October 7, 2023, with Netanyahu facing former military chief Eisenkot in a race that final opinion polls suggested was too close to call.
According to the Central Elections Committee, approximately 7.3 million eligible voters are choosing 120 Knesset members from around 36 party lists at more than 12,000 polling stations. Voting opened at 7:00 a.m. and is scheduled to close at 10:00 p.m. local time, when broadcasters are expected to release exit polls.
Turnout reached 44.9% by 2:00 p.m., the highest level recorded at that stage of an Israeli election since 1977, Channel 12 reported.
Two Arab-led lists are competing: the Joint List, an alliance of Arab and left-wing parties, and the United Arab List (Ra’am), led by Mansour Abbas. Israel’s Supreme Court cleared both to participate on October 2, overturning an earlier disqualification by the Central Elections Committee.
Eisenkot has ruled out including Arab parties in a governing coalition, although their results could influence the parliamentary balance. Arab voter turnout is projected at around 63%, compared with 56% in 2022.
Read more: Israelis vote in first election since October 7 attack