The Israeli elections ended in a stalemate on Thursday, with neither of the two main rival camps securing a clear majority. Amid suspense over what happens next, reports indicate that Ra'am and Joint List, the two main Arab parties that together secured 19 seats, may back the Opposition bloc led by Gadi Eisenkot in a bid to oust PM Benjamin Netanyahu from power.
According to a Times of Israel report, the Joint List is willing to back anti-Netanyahu parties from outside, even though it is doesn't want to actually be part of the government. “We want to help anyone who wants to bring down this awful government… and switch it for a different government. We want to be part of the correction, part of the hope," veteran Arab MK Ahmad Tibi was quoted as saying. The publication identified him as ‘No. 2 on the Joint List’.
Meanwhile, Jafar Farah, a key figure in the Arab political movement, told The Telegraph that both Ra'am and Joint List are expected to inform Israeli president Isaac Herzog of their willingness to back the Opposition bloc led by Eisenkot. They will recommend Gadi Eisenkot, the former IDF chief of staff, as the next prime minister, Farah said. “Maybe the three seats of [the nationalist Arab party] Balad will refuse, but the others will probably recommend," Farah was quoted as saying.
He is part of an advocacy group for Arabs in Israel and was also supposed to be a Joint List candidate in the elections until he withdrew his candidature.
{{/usCountry}}He is part of an advocacy group for Arabs in Israel and was also supposed to be a Joint List candidate in the elections until he withdrew his candidature.
{{/usCountry}}Also Read: All eyes are on Israel President Herzog as Netanyahu, Eisenkot fall short of majority
'Be like Rabin'
MK Ahmad Tibi reportedly urged Eisenkot to “be like [the late prime minister Yitzhak] Rabin" as he indicated that Joint List would be supporting the government from outside.
Rabin is most-popularly known for his decision to negotiate with the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) under the Oslo Accords, signed in 1993. In the face of criticism over the decision, two Arab-led political parties had backed Rabin's erstwhile government, a possibility that has resurfaced amid Israel’s current political stalemate.
Amid uncertainty over the possible coalition, Joint List chairman Yousef Jabareen also said that the contacts had been made with the anti-Netanyahu parties, reported Times of Israel.
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Israel saw its first elections since the 2023 Hamas attack. As results emerged this week, Jewish-majority parties opposed to Netanyahu won 48 seats, while two Arab-majority parties, Ra'am and the Joint List, secured a combined 19 seats. Netanyahu's bloc won 53 seats, significantly fewer than the 68 seats it held before.
However, none of the parties managed to go past the 61 majority mark in the 120-member Knesset.
An alliance between Eisenkot's camp and the Arab parties would potentially give the anti-Netanyahu bloc a comfortable majority of 67 seats.