Knesset candidate Atef Krinawi (L) briefs the media stating "the big Arab parties neglect the local Arab-Israeli community. They will never let go of the Palestinian issues because they get money for fighting that battle from Dubai and Kuwait". Um El-Fahm, Israel. 15-Jan-2013. Newly established Hope For Change Party plans to address the immediate needs of Arab-Israelis if it passes the elections threshold. Founder and leader Atef Krinawi expresses contempt at veteran Arab leaders for their negligence and immorality. Arab-Israelis make up about 20 percent of Israel's population. Some 800,000 have the right to vote in the upcoming Knesset elections (January 22nd); with voter turnout declining across all sectors of Israel society, some analysts are expecting a drop in participation among Muslim, Christian and other Arab-Israeli citizens (or "Palestinians in Israel" as some call themselves today). Professor Asa'd Ghanem reported in a recent press briefing, one third of Arabs who participated in a recent Haifa University poll described themselves as apathetic and rarely voting in national elections while another third said they don't vote at all. This election season has already been marked by rancorous debate among Arab leaders in Israel, and a general dissatisfaction expressed by Arab citizens with their communal leaders.

Knesset candidate Atef Krinawi (L) briefs the media stating "if the elections are clean and fair, without the big Arab parties buying voters as they always do, we will get three to five seats in the Knesset". Um El-Fahm, Israel. 15-Jan-2013. Newly established Hope For Change Party plans to address the immediate needs of Arab-Israelis if it passes the elections threshold. Founder and leader Atef Krinawi expresses contempt at veteran Arab leaders for their negligence and immorality. Arab-Israelis make up about 20 percent of Israel's population. Some 800,000 have the right to vote in the upcoming Knesset elections (January 22nd); with voter turnout declining across all sectors of Israel society, some analysts are expecting a drop in participation among Muslim, Christian and other Arab-Israeli citizens (or "Palestinians in Israel" as some call themselves today). Professor Asa'd Ghanem reported in a recent press briefing, one third of Arabs who participated in a recent Haifa University poll described themselves as apathetic and rarely voting in national elections while another third said they don't vote at all. This election season has already been marked by rancorous debate among Arab leaders in Israel, and a general dissatisfaction expressed by Arab citizens with their communal leaders.