Why are Palestinians absent from the Israeli elections?

Jerusalem24 – Mohammad Hamayel – Yesterday, Israel finished its fourth elections in 2 years. For years Israeli election campaigns included the plans of Israeli candidates on how to deal with the Palestinians. However, the most recent round of Israeli elections, the Palestinians were all but absent.

To discuss this issue further, Jerusalem24 sat down with Israeli Affairs Expert Mohammad Abu Allan. “I believe the reason the Palestinians were absent from the discourse of Israeli politicians during the elections is the lack of any real resistance.” Abu Allan continues, “In other words, Palestinian resistance placed the question of Palestine on the agendas of Israeli politicians. Then every Israeli party would propose and discuss how to confront this problem.” In 2015, the breakdown of the Israeli coalition government at the time came as relations with the Palestinians were also falling apart following a conflict during that summer with Gaza as well as growing unrest in Jerusalem. At the time, Tsipi Livni accused Netanyahu’s government of “not being able to fight terrorism.”

Abu Allan remembers that, “A few years ago in 2015, an attack was committed against an Israeli bus ahead of the actual elections. Several Israelis were killed.” He continues about the results of that attack, “The parties on the Israeli Right took advantage of the event to gain votes, they claimed that they will be fighting the Palestinians. Stating that they will not allow the Palestinians gain anything.” The resulting government of the elections was the farthest right-winged Israeli government in history, and cemented Binyamin Netanyahu’s position of Prime Minister until today.

“It wasn’t just Israeli parties that would discuss matters pertaining to the Palestinians, the Israeli cabinet would present them in their weekly meeting. This was especially true when the security situation was tense or heading towards escalation,” added Abu Allan.

However, in most recent elections Palestinians and their issues have taken a backseat in Israeli elections. The Israeli parties that run in the 2021 elections were discussing whether or not Netanyahu should remain in power. Even the Arab Joint List presented how Netanyahu demonized the Arabs in previous elections for his own electoral gains.