Israeli Arabs’ main concerns are cost of living, crime and the desire for better Knesset representation, a JC vox pop in Jaffa has found.
Some even said that being an Arab was not the biggest factor when voting; their identity as Muslims or Israelis mattered more when choosing which party to vote for.
Amal, a 36-year-old Arab Muslim resident of Jaffa, said this will be the first time she votes and that she was motivated by the rising cost of living.
“It is much, much more expensive than it used to be,” she said. “Fruit has more than tripled in price in 10 years.
“I can’t even go into central Tel Aviv now because it is even more expensive. Sometimes, it feels like we are being left behind.”
Banner in Ajami, an Arab-majority neighbourhood in Jaffa, southern Tel Aviv, promoting the Joint List (Credit: Daniel Ben-David)[Missing Credit]
That is why, she said, she and her friends were voting for the Joint List – three Arab political parties that have united to increase Arabs’ representation in the Knesset.
“The Arab communities need to be together. If we are not together, the Knesset or Jewish Israeli majority won’t care about us. They won’t help.”
With the potential to win ten to 15 Knesset seats, the Arab parties could become “kingmakers” by making it much harder for Benjamin Netanyahu to form a government and potentially help an alternative coalition take office, even by supporting it from outside rather than joining it.
Banners and flyers posted on walls throughout the neighbourhood of Ajmani in Jaffa promoted the Joint List and the group’s three leaders, Yousef Jabareen (Hadash), Ahmad Tibi (Ta’al), and Sami Abu Shehadeh (Balad).
There were also banners for the Ra’am Party, an Islamist, socially conservative but pragmatic group led by Mansour Abbas, which in 2021 joined the Bennett-Lapid coalition – the first independent Arab party to join a governing coalition.
A wall in Jaffa, southern Tel Aviv[Missing Credit]
According to the JC vox pop, the priorities of Muslim voters in Jaffa centred on tackling crime in their communities, which they felt the current government had largely ignored; reducing the cost of living; and strengthening their political influence through greater unity among Arab voters.
A Christian local business owner said he was not voting this time but that he would vote for any candidate who promised to keep the peace whilst maintaining the status quo.
“I love living here. I like the standard of living. It is an easy life here for my family,” he said. “My fruit shop caters to all [residents of Jaffa irrespective of ethnicity or religion. We are not bothered by anyone.”
He added: “I don’t want change. My family does not want change. In 10 years I want it to be the same.”
A star and crescent in Ajami, an Arab-majority neighbourhood in Jaffa, southern Tel Aviv[Missing Credit]
Another Muslim resident who moved to Jaffa more than a decade ago also expressed a wish to be left alone by the politicians, while also calling for increased resources to tackle growing crime in Muslim-majority communities.
“I am Muslim, so I vote for Muslim party. I am very happy to have a vote at all. My parents in Jordan did not,” he said. “I will maybe vote for Joint List.”
He said that despite Ra’am being in the governing coalition for a year and a half from 2021 – and its help in pushing through an NIS 30 billion economic development plan for Arab society – little real change came of it.
Moraf, a 66-year-old Arab Christian resident of Jaffa since birth, said: “We need security. I am voting Likud. I like Bibi. I don’t mind Ben-Gvir. I don’t care what people say. They are strong. You need strong people.
“My nephew serves in the IDF. I want an end to the war. I want him to come home.”
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A large digital billboard in Tel Aviv featuring Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Gadi Eisenkot (Credit: Daniel Ben-David)[Missing Credit]
In Jerusalem’s Old City, Mustafa, an Arab-Muslim Israeli citizen who works as a hotel valet, said he prioritised security above all else when voting.
“I feel it’s not a matter of whether you like Bibi Netanyahu or not, it doesn’t matter who you choose, we just want peace. Enough war. Enough violence.”
Originally from the city of Kafr Qasim, east of Petah Tikva, Mustafa said his family had experienced arbitrary violence at the hands of organised Arab gangs.
“They come to us, they extort us,” he said. “The crime is very, very bad. People are killed, and nobody does nothing. I wanted to vote for Eisenkot’s coalition, but maybe now I will vote for Joint List if Eisenkot doesn’t want to work with Arab parties. We need security.”
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Jerusalem as viewed from Mount Scopus (Credit: Daniel Ben-David)[Missing Credit]
On Mount Scopus, a 24-year-old Hebrew University student, Rawya, a Muslim Israeli citizen, said she is proud to identify as both a Muslim and an Israeli when she votes.
This time she would be voting in order to secure more prospects for young people and make Jerusalem more affordable.
“In my neighbourhood, we need more funding for schools, funding for infrastructure like roads and public transport,” she said. “I think there is a gap in access between people of different socioeconomic backgrounds in Israel, and I think Eisenkot is best placed to raise everyone up together at the same time.”
There are more than a 1.1 million Arab citizens of Israel eligible to vote, representing just under one-fifth, 18 per cent, of Israel’s total number of eligible voters living within the country, 6.5 million.
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