How an election defeat triggered a carnival of racism against Palestinians

An opinion article argues that racism against Palestinians became especially visible during Israel’s election campaign, where politicians and public messaging warned against Arab political participation and some parties openly backed Palestinian displacement. The author says the hostility helped turn voting into an act of self-protection for Palestinian citizens, amid fears that violence seen in Gaza and the occupied West Bank could reach them too.

The article describes an encounter in West Jerusalem in which children spat at the author after she said she would not vote for Benjamin Netanyahu, and recounts campaign calls to exclude Arab parties from governing coalitions. It says three parties supported deportation or expulsion, while Netanyahu’s election-day social media posts frequently targeted Arabs. Palestinian citizens make up about a fifth of Israel’s population; their parties won 19 seats, making them the third-largest bloc, and some people voted for the first time.