‘Like we don’t exist’: Palestinians in West Bank denied say in Israel vote

What the report says

Palestinians in the occupied West Bank are described by Al Jazeera as having little influence over Israel’s upcoming election even though Israeli authorities control major parts of daily life there. The report focuses on Jabal al-Baba, a small Bedouin community east of Jerusalem, where residents say they face limits on housing, movement, water access and land use under Israel’s control in Area C of the West Bank.

The article says the October 27 vote pits Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud-led bloc against an opposition alliance, but many Palestinians expect no major change in policy whoever wins. Interviewees argue that the occupation system, settlement expansion and restrictions on Palestinian development have persisted across different Israeli governments. Al Jazeera also cites Israeli rights groups and watchdogs to note that Palestinian permit applications are routinely rejected in Area C, while settlements continue to expand.

A central example in the piece is the E1 project near the settlement of Ma’ale Adumim. According to the report, Israel approved thousands of housing units there in August 2025, and the plan could divide the West Bank and threaten displacement of several Bedouin communities, including Jabal al-Baba. The story says officials have taken steps to delay or contest parts of the process before the election, but that does not alter the broader concern among residents.

Overall, the article presents the vote as important inside Israel but limited in its ability to change conditions for Palestinians living under occupation, a point underscored by local activists and residents who say the underlying system remains in place.