Arab parties gain ground in Israel but face a coalition barrier
JERUSALEM — Arab-led parties are projected to win a record 19 seats in Israel’s parliament, but opposition leaders’ resistance to governing with them could prevent those gains from translating into power. Balad leader Sami Abu Shehadeh has condemned their exclusion as racist, as neither Benjamin Netanyahu’s bloc nor his main rivals appear able to secure a majority alone.
Projections reported on 28 October put Netanyahu’s allies on 53 seats and the Jewish-led opposition on 48. Together with the Arab-led parties, Netanyahu’s opponents would hold 67 of the Knesset’s 120 seats. However, that numerical advantage does not represent an agreed governing coalition, and the figures remain provisional.
Opposition divided over partnership
Abu Shehadeh argues that excluding Arab representatives denies their voters equal political standing. Opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot has said neither Arab-led party meets his conditions for joining a government, while Naftali Bennett and Avigdor Liberman have explicitly rejected such partnerships, according to The Times of Israel.
Democrats leader Yair Golan has taken a different position, calling for cooperation with Arab parties and equal treatment of their voters. His appeal drew criticism from Likud minister Amichai Chikli, who characterised the proposed alliance as anti-Zionist, JNS reported.
The disagreement leaves the opposition facing a practical obstacle: parties united in wanting Netanyahu removed do not necessarily agree on who should replace him or which partners are acceptable.
Deadlock could prolong Netanyahu’s tenure
Netanyahu and Eisenkot have both claimed a mandate following the election. Reuters reported that the unresolved contest could leave Netanyahu serving as caretaker prime minister during lengthy coalition negotiations or until another election.
For Arab-led parties, the immediate test is whether their increased parliamentary representation produces a place in negotiations. For the wider opposition, forming a government will require resolving the partnership dispute that the vote itself has left unanswered.
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