Record Voter Turnout Reaches 74.3% as Israel Decides 26th Knesset
Makan News hosted an all-female panel discussing the 26th Knesset elections as record turnout reached 74.3% by 20:00, prompting pollsters to predict major political surprises.
A special election broadcast on Makan News featured an all-female panel discussing the ongoing 26th Knesset elections from diverse perspectives within Arab society. Moderated by Nasreen Abu Gosh, the discussion focused on voting trends, political representation, and the daily challenges facing citizens, with contributions from prominent figures including Rawia Handaklu, Behan Khatib, Ragda Awad, and first-time voter Taima Alyan.
The broadcast also integrated regional perspectives, featuring life coach Anisa Hazima from Haifa and political activist Amal Abu Tom from the south, who addressed women's participation in the political sphere. This coverage is part of Makan News' comprehensive election day programming, leading up to the 22:00 exit poll results presented in Arabic by Naif Sarji and Samah Hasnin BCheria.
Meanwhile, unprecedented voter turnout across the country is stoking expectations of a dramatic political shift. By 20:00, voter turnout reached 74.3%, marking an eight-percentage-point increase compared to 66.3% at the same hour during the 2022 elections. This figure already surpasses the final turnout rates of all previous parliamentary elections held in Israel since the beginning of the century.
Leading pollsters have signaled major surprises as a result of the high participation rates. Shlomo Filber of Israeli media reported a major drama in the exit poll results, while pollster Dudi Hassid hinted at unexpected developments and analyst Shmuel Rosner urged observers to brace for surprises.
