# Palestinian Voters Gave Eisenkot a Chance to Govern, He Should Take It

> Palestinian voters helped Eisenkot win 19 seats in Israel's election, but he refuses to include them in his coalition.
- Title: Palestinian Voters Gave Eisenkot a Chance to Govern, He…
- Summary: Palestinian voters helped Eisenkot win 19 seats in Israel's election, but he refuses to include them in his coalition.
- Keywords: palestinian voters, eisenkot, israel election, parliamentary seats, coalition government, netanyahu, palestinian led parties, united arab list, joint list, jewish nation state law, hamas attack, october 7
- Source: Foreign Policy — https://foreignpolicy.com/2026/11/05/israel-election-netanyahu-palestinian-eisenkot-coalition-government
- Author: Mairav Zonszein
- Read time: 2 min
- Topics: palestinian voters, eisenkot, israel election, parliamentary seats, coalition government, netanyahu, palestinian led parties, united arab list, joint list, jewish nation state law, hamas attack, october 7
## Israeli election results
Palestinian citizens of Israel voted in unprecedented numbers, helping two Palestinian-led parties capture 19 parliamentary seats.
## Election deadlock mischaracterized
Netanyahu's bloc has 53 seats, Eisenkot's bloc has 48 seats, but Palestinian votes should be counted as opposition.
## Palestinian voter turnout
Palestinian citizens make up roughly 20 percent of Israel's population and voted in unprecedented numbers.
## Palestinian-led parties
The Joint List won 11 seats, the United Arab List won 8 seats, and both parties have distinct priorities.
## Eisenkot's stance
Eisenkot has not signaled that Palestinian-led parties would be welcome in his coalition.
## Internal opposition
Some opposition parties welcome Palestinian-led parties, but two have ruled out partnership.
## Netanyahu's position
Netanyahu claims Palestinian Israelis would be unpalatable to Jewish Israelis after the Hamas attack of October 7, 2023.
## Hamas attack impact
Palestinian citizens were also killed and abducted in the Hamas attack, served in rescue efforts, and faced heavy missile fire.
## Eisenkot's demands
Eisenkot requires partners to accept Israel as a Jewish and democratic state, recognize the Declaration of Independence, commit to national service, and declare Hamas a terrorist organization.
## Coalition possibilities
Eisenkot could form a minority government with Palestinian Israeli lawmakers while relying on others for key votes.
## Next steps
Eisenkot has a majority to elect a new speaker of parliament on November 10, which could advance security inquiries and judicial reforms.
## Consequence
Eisenkot's coalition could challenge Netanyahu's policies and signal a shift toward inclusive governance in Israel.
## Historical context
Palestinian-led parties have been in a governing coalition only once in Israel's 78-year history, for one year.
## Key issue
Israel's 2018 Jewish nation-state law prioritizes Jewish citizens over Palestinians, excluding them from political participation.
## Key takeaway

Palestinian voters gave Eisenkot 19 parliamentary seats in Israel's election, but he has not included them in his coalition.