Jewish-Arab Unity Push: Arab Parties Signal Cooperation to Oust Netanyahu
Arab parties signal cooperation with the opposition bloc as Israel counts votes. Can a Jewish-Arab coalition end Benjamin Netanyahu's reign?
As the dust settles on the recent Israeli elections, a historic movement for Jewish-Arab unity is gaining momentum. With the Election Commission currently processing 'double envelope' votes—absentee ballots from IDF soldiers, prisoners, medical personnel, and diplomats—the political landscape suggests a precarious future for incumbent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The Numbers Game: A Divided Knesset
Current projections place Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party as the largest single entity with 26 seats. However, the broader Likud-led bloc, which includes Shas, United Torah Judaism, and Otzma Yehudit, is projected to hold 53 seats. This falls short of the 61-seat threshold required for a parliamentary majority.
On the other side of the aisle, the opposition bloc—consisting of Gadi Eisenkot's Yashar, Naftali Bennett's B’Yachad, Avidgdor Liberman's Yisrael Beytenu, and Yair Golan's The Democrats—is projected to secure 48 seats. Meanwhile, Arab parties, including Ra'am and the Joint List, have exceeded expectations by projecting 19 seats.
Street Protests and the Call for Change
The mathematical reality has sparked an urgent call for the anti-Netanyahu forces to unite. On Wednesday night, supporters led by Yair Golan's party took to the streets, demanding a joint Jewish-Palestinian government.
"We’re on the streets across the country to say YES to a joint Jewish-Palestinian government! No to racism, messianism and supremacy," the party stated.
The movement argues that a historic majority of 67 mandates—combining the opposition and Arab parties—voted for a different future, far outweighing the 53 mandates of the Netanyahu bloc. Yair Golan has urged for "bold leadership" to initiate talks with Arab representatives to save the country from its current trajectory.
Arab Parties Open the Door to Cooperation
The Arab parties, holding a pivotal 19 seats, have signaled their willingness to collaborate with the bloc led by Gadi Eisenkot. In a strong statement, the Joint List expressed a desire to end what they described as Netanyahu's "bloody reign."
The Joint List emphasized that they are ready for political cooperation provided the new government commits to:
- A substantive change in racist policies.
- Recognition of the rights of the Arab public.
- An end to the exclusion of Arab representatives from the political system.
Their message was clear: while a government without them may be possible, a government with them is the only path to true equality and partnership.
The Uphill Battle for Gadi Eisenkot
Despite the potential for a majority, Gadi Eisenkot acknowledges that the road to a coalition is fraught with difficulty. Significant ideological gaps remain, particularly regarding the Palestinian conflict and strategic actions against Iran.
Eisenkot remains focused on establishing a "Zionist mobilization government," arguing that the public has expressed a lack of confidence in the government's handling of events since October 7th. He described the current Netanyahu-led bloc as being at its lowest point in two decades.
As President Isaac Herzog steps in to urge party leaders toward a resolution, the world watches to see if the vision of Jewish-Arab unity can transition from street protests to a functioning government.