Smotrich proposes 40 new settlements in Naqab as 20% of Israelis vote

Palestinian citizens of Israel face a distinct dilemma ahead of the general election on October 27. While most voters choose between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot, the 20 percent of the population that identifies as Palestinian must decide if voting can alter their political and collective rights.

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich unveiled a plan in August to add one million Jewish residents to the Naqab and northern Israel. The proposal includes establishing 40 new settlements, dozens of farms, and hundreds of thousands of new housing units. This initiative aims to extend territorial control from the West Bank into regions where Palestinian communities are concentrated.

The political mainstream in Israel has shifted to the far right, increasing threats to Palestinian rights. Communities report increased violence and settler encroachment. Organized crime groups, some equipped with weapons reportedly stolen from army stockpiles or smuggled across borders, have claimed hundreds of lives. Israeli law enforcement has largely ignored these incidents.

Security measures have also intensified. National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir issued 300,000 gun licenses since taking office. He established the National Guard to manage policing in Palestinian towns, a force prompted by the May 2021 protests in Lydd, Haifa, and Umm al-Fahm. The guard's precise role remains under development, but its potential deployment against mass protests has raised concerns among citizens.

Mansour Abbas, who leads the United Arab List, has argued that supporting the anti-Netanyahu camp can halt the far-right agenda. However, his party's time in the 2021 coalition government did not produce fundamental changes. Mazen Ghnaim, a Ra'am member, acknowledged in 2022 that he could not push through policies benefiting the Palestinian population despite being in the ruling coalition.

The election is scheduled for Tuesday, October 27. Voters will cast ballots in districts across the country. The outcome will determine whether the current government continues or if a new coalition forms. Palestinian citizens will participate in the vote alongside their Israeli counterparts.