Poll: Popularity of Arab parties in decline

New poll predicts poor election results for three major Arab parties in March 28 general elections
Roee Nahmias

An opinion poll set to be published in the near future by Prof. Avi Dagani, of the Geocartography Institute, should worry for Arab Israeli parties running for the elections to the 17th Knesset, as it points to a decline in the popularity of Hadash, Balad, and the United Arab list, the three Arab parties in parliament.

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The poll predicts that all three parties will fail to attract enough voters to guarantee seats in the Knesset.

'Voting to Zionist parties not forbidden'

Zionist parties are expected to profit from the unpopularity of Arab parties, as Arab voters are likely to guarantee two seats for Labor and one seat for Meretz, the poll predicts.

Hadash are expected to receive 2.8 seats, Balad 2.7 and the United Arab list 1.8, according to projected results.

Some 13 percent of the 400 Arab Israeli respondents said they won’t vote in the March 28 elections, 3 percent said they will cast an empty vote, and 33 percent remain undecided.

Jerusalem’s Mufti Akramah Sabri said voting to Zionist parties is not forbidden under Muslim law. “The position is clear and there is no need to issue new laws,” he said.