‘Bibi’ Netanyahu has emerged victorious in the Israeli elections, despite facing an opposition containing three former senior figures from the Israeli military. He is now on course to become the country’s longest serving serving leader after winning a record fifth term in office. His victory came on the back of a toxic campaign that appealed to his fan base. He pledged to annex settlements in the West Bank and warned that his main rival, former military veteran Benny Gantz of the Blue and White alliance, would be soft on security and ally himself with Arab members of the Knesset. These tactics propelled him to victory, despite the fact he was forced to call the election early due to the corruption allegations hanging over him. <strong>Listen here:</strong> Meanwhile, turnout among Arab voters reached a record low, with many deciding to boycott the election rather than give legitimacy to a system many feel increasingly lowers their status and opportunities. In this edition of the Beyond The Headlines podcast, <em>The National</em>'s Foreign Editor James-Haines Young assesses what the result means for the country's Arab population of nearly two million people and Palestinians living in Gaza and the occupied West Bank.
