Arab Voters Key To Breaking Election Deadlock

UMM AL FAHM, Israel (AP) – The voices of Israel’s Palestinian citizens are often drowned out or delegitimized in the country’s noisy politics. Yet in the upcoming general election, they could hold the key to breaking an entrenched political deadlock. Israelis vote Tuesday for the fifth time in less than four years. The country remains as divided as ever over former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s fitness to serve while on trial for corruption. Polls show those numbers haven’t budged. What could tip the scales is the vote of the one-fifth of Israelis who are of Palestinian descent. High turnout could swing the elections in favor of Netanyahu’s opponents, while a drop could pave the way for Netanyahu’s return.