Ibrahim Said, who has boycotted Israeli elections since 1980, is one of the many Palestinians who have decided to participate in this historic vote. The situation for Palestinian citizens of Israel is dire, with little hope for improvement in the current political climate.
Key points
The Palestinians are voting in Israel to ensure their very survival.: The Palestinians are voting in Israel to ensure their very survival.
This is a historic vote crucial for the future of Palestinian citizens of Israel.: This is a historic vote crucial for the future of Palestinian citizens of Israel.
Ibrahim Said, a 70-year-old Palestinian, is one of the many participants.: Ibrahim Said, a 70-year-old Palestinian, is one of the many participants.
Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1
This is an entry from: Live: Israelis head to the polls as Netanyahu fights for political life
Palestinians are voting in Israel to ensure their very survival
27 October 2026 10:25 GMT
Ibrahim Said has boycotted Israeli elections since voting in 1980.
Parties came and went, telling him they would defend his interests if elected, even promising to help return his lands in al-Birwa, the town his family were displaced from during the 1948 Nakba.
But nothing ever changed for the better for Palestinian citizens of Israel. Israeli democracy had nothing to offer him and his community, the 70-year-old felt.
This year, the situation is completely different.
“Without a doubt, we must vote this time. We are living in fear,” Said tells Middle East Eye in his garage in the Galilee.
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