Arab Media Views Israeli Elections as Referendum on Netanyahu's Era
Translated & summarized from N12 by baba
Arab media outlets are portraying the Israeli elections as a referendum on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's leadership, highlighting high voter turnout and the potential impact of Arab voters. Newspapers like Asharq Al-Awsat and Al-Akhbar framed the vote as a test of Netanyahu's era, with Al-Akhbar describing his camp's "deep fear of losing power." The UAE's Al-Khaleej noted an "Arab surprise" with significant Arab party gains potentially hindering Netanyahu's government formation. Qatar's Al-Arabi Al-Jadeed and Al-Quds Al-Arabi focused on incitement against Arab voters, calling their vote decisive.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Arab media views Israeli elections as a referendum on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's era.
- High voter turnout and the influence of Arab voters are key themes in Arab press coverage.
- Al-Akhbar described Netanyahu's camp as experiencing "deep and overt fear of losing power."
- Arab parties' potential gains are seen as a "resounding surprise" complicating government formation.
- Coverage also highlights incitement and fear directed at Arab voters.
- Netanyahu's fate is described as being "on the line" in the elections.
Arab media outlets are extensively covering the Israeli elections, framing them as a critical test for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's prolonged political tenure. Newspapers across the Arab world are highlighting the high voter turnout and the significant potential influence of Arab voters on the final outcome.
Saudi Arabia's Asharq Al-Awsat described the elections as a "mass vote judging the Netanyahu era," noting the unprecedented turnout and the intense contest between Netanyahu and former IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot. The paper suggested the high participation reflected Israelis' desire to either extend Netanyahu's rule or end it by voting for his main rival. It also pointed to the attention given to Arab parties and their potential to sway the results.
The Lebanese Al-Akhbar, identified with Hezbollah, ran a provocative headline, "Israel: The King's Autumn," accompanied by an image of Netanyahu. The paper characterized the election as a "referendum on Benjamin Netanyahu: for or against him," asserting that support for him has clearly declined but his political exit is not guaranteed. Al-Akhbar described Netanyahu's camp as experiencing "deep and overt fear of losing power," and noted attempts by Netanyahu and Itamar Ben-Gvir to mobilize voters with warnings about Arab voting. Arab voters, conversely, were portrayed as a force neither camp could ignore.
The UAE's Al-Khaleej newspaper used the phrase "bone-breaking elections in Israel without a decision," emphasizing record turnout and fierce competition between Eisenkot and Netanyahu, alongside an "Arab surprise." The paper focused on the power of Arab voters to decide the race, calling the reported 17 seats for Arab parties a "resounding surprise" that complicates Netanyahu's ability to form a new government. It also highlighted Eisenkot's warning that Netanyahu was in a state of panic and preparing to challenge the results, and quoted Mansour Abbas accusing Netanyahu of lying and inciting against Ra'am to mobilize right-wing voters.
Qatar's Al-Arabi Al-Jadeed focused on the treatment of Arab voters, with the headline "Israeli Elections: Record Turnout, Fear and Incitement Against the Arab Voter." Al-Quds Al-Arabi, an independent pan-Arab newspaper, stated, "Record turnout in Israeli elections, and Netanyahu's fate is on the line," alongside images of Netanyahu and Eisenkot. It also emphasized the power of Arab voters and the incitement against them, noting, "The voice of the Palestinians is decisive... and the Prime Minister incites against them."
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