Israeli politics: Arab bloc signals support for anti-Netanyahu government
A senior Arab lawmaker stated that his coalition will break with historical precedent to help remove the current prime minister from power, even if the new administration does not join the coalition.
By Olga Menon ·
Ahmad Tibi, a senior member of the Arab Joint List, announced that his parliamentary bloc is prepared to break with decades of political tradition to assist in ending Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's tenure. Tibi stated that the group intends to support an anti-Netanyahu government without officially joining the cabinet.
The Arab Joint List won 11 seats in the 120-member Knesset, while the more conciliatory Ra’am party secured 8 seats. These numbers make both groups essential for forming a majority against Netanyahu's coalition, which holds 53 seats. Former general Gadi Eisenkot leads the main opposition bloc, which won 48 seats in the recent election.
Tibi described the goal as removing what he called a criminal government. He acknowledged that any new administration would likely continue wars and settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank. However, he argued that a repair government would improve conditions for Palestinian citizens and address local issues such as violent crime in Arab communities.
The political dynamic is complex because most Jewish Israelis view Arab-led parties with suspicion. The Joint List rejects Israel's identity as a Jewish state and calls for equal rights for all citizens. In contrast, many Jewish voters see these positions as support for Israel's enemies during wartime.
Eisenkot has proposed conditions for any partnership, including labeling Hamas a terrorist group that must be destroyed. The Joint List and Ra’am have condemned the October 7, 2023, attack but refuse to brand Hamas a terrorist group or call for its destruction. They argue that doing so would justify Israel's military campaign in Gaza.
Tibi said that if Jewish-led parties reject Arab support, it will prove Israel is an ethnocracy rather than a democracy for all citizens. He noted that his party will vote for or abstain to lower the threshold needed for a majority, allowing opposition parties to form a government without the Joint List becoming part of the administration.
Tibi referenced Netanyahu's 2019 campaign slogan, Bibi or Tibi, which warned voters that opposing the prime minister meant relying on Arab parties. Tibi said the recent high turnout among Arab voters has reversed that narrative, stating that it is now their story.
The Joint List consists of three left-wing and nationalist parties. Most of the Palestinian population in Israel fled or was expelled during the 1948 war, and those who remained were granted citizenship. They currently make up approximately 20 percent of the population.
