Israel’s Arab parties are set to back opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot’s bloc after last week’s election, according to multiple reports, further dimming Benjamin Netanyahu’s chances of forming another government.
The Joint List and the Islamist party Ra’am, which together won a record 19 Knesset seats, have indicated they will collaborate with the Change bloc to push Netanyahu from power, though not necessarily by joining a coalition. Joint List leader Yousef Jabareen said his party was ready to support the bloc from outside through tactical voting, while Ra’am leader Mansour Abbas has signalled he is ready to join an Eisenkot government.
The election left the 120-seat Knesset split three ways. Netanyahu’s coalition of Jewish conservative and far-right parties dropped to 53 seats, Eisenkot’s Change bloc won 48, and the Arab parties took 19, with turnout among Palestinian Israelis more than doubling to about 80 per cent. No grouping commands a clear majority.
Eisenkot and his partners have pledged not to unite with Netanyahu, citing security failures around the October 7 attacks and the prime minister’s ongoing corruption trial, but they have set conditions for forming a coalition with Arab parties: recognising Israel as a Jewish state, accepting conscription, and denouncing Hamas as a terrorist organisation.
Jabareen said those conditions applied to parties joining the coalition, which his party would not do. “As long as the occupation of our people in the West Bank continues, we cannot be part of a government,” he said. He called the moment a historic opportunity to change direction, adding: “This is really a historic moment and I hope that there will be partners within the opposition to go ahead with that.” He said the 67 opponents of Netanyahu in the new Knesset could change the speaker and take control of the committee overseeing the legislative agenda, even before conclusions were reached on a coalition and a new government.
Netanyahu has claimed, without providing evidence, that Arab parties committed election fraud with foreign backing. Likud has warned that Zionist parties cooperating with the Arab bloc would be “dangerous to Israel”. Dozens of protesters gathered outside Eisenkot’s home on Sunday to oppose a potential Jewish-Arab alliance. Central Elections Committee head Noam Sohlberg said that even if the suspicions were substantiated, they would not undermine the integrity of the electoral process.
The election results are due to be certified on Wednesday. President Isaac Herzog will then meet party leaders and is likely to ask Netanyahu or Eisenkot to form a government, with 28 days for the attempt and a possible 14-day extension. Parliament is due to be sworn in on November 10.
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Knesset seats by party bloc
seats
No bloc reached the 61 seats needed for a majority in the 120-seat parliament. Source: Central Elections Committee of Israel
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Analysis
Why This Matters
Arab parties holding the balance of power after record turnout could end Netanyahu’s coalition and shift policy toward Palestinian Israelis.
A minority government backed from outside would be a first, with implications for the occupation and the war.
The next few days will decide whether Israel gets a new government, another election, or a unity deal.
Background
In the election held on Tuesday, Netanyahu’s coalition fell from 68 to 53 seats, Eisenkot’s Change bloc won 48, and Arab parties won a record 19 seats on doubled turnout of about 80 per cent. Arab Israelis make up about a fifth of Israel’s population; Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and Gaza have no vote.
Arab parties have long been marginalised in Israeli politics, and more so since October 7. Only Ra’am has joined a governing coalition, in 2021, and that government lasted less than two years.
Key Perspectives
Joint List (Yousef Jabareen): ready to support Eisenkot from outside but not join a government while the occupation continues; calls it a historic opportunity to change direction, demanding equality and a political horizon.
Ra’am (Mansour Abbas): has signalled readiness to join an Eisenkot coalition, with Abbas seeking the internal security portfolio.
Change bloc (Gadi Eisenkot): has pledged not to form a unity government with Netanyahu; conditions for Arab partnership include recognising Israel as a Jewish state, accepting conscription, and denouncing Hamas.
Netanyahu and Likud: claim without evidence that Arab parties committed election fraud with foreign backing, and warn that cooperation with the Arab bloc would be “dangerous to Israel”.
What to Watch
Herzog’s consultations after results are certified on Wednesday, and whom he picks to try to form a government.
Whether Eisenkot can hold his bloc together despite right-wing resistance, notably from Avigdor Lieberman.
Whether Netanyahu attempts to pull defectors from the opposition or seeks to delay transition, including through renewed war on Iran, a concern Jabareen raised.
12 claims in this story checked against 2 sources: 12 supported.
Show each claim
SupportedArab parties are set to back Gadi Eisenkot’s bloc in a push to oust Netanyahu.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “Israel’s Arab parties, which won a record-breaking 19 seats in last week’s general elections, are set to back opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot’s bloc, further trampling Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s chances of leading another government.”
SupportedTurnout among Palestinian Israelis more than doubled to about 80%.World news | The Guardian: “Turnout among Arab Israelis (Palestinians with Israeli citizenship, 20% of the population) more than doubled to about 80% , transforming the political landscape.”
SupportedJabareen said, “As long as the occupation of our people in the West Bank continues, we cannot be part of a government.”World news | The Guardian: ““As long as the occupation of our people in the West Bank continues, we cannot be part of a government.”
SupportedJabareen said, “This is really a historic moment and I hope that there will be partners within the opposition to go ahead with that.”World news | The Guardian: ““This is really a historic moment and I hope that there will be partners within the opposition to go ahead with that.”
SupportedThe reports that Arab parties would collaborate with the opposition bloc were multiple.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “According to several media reports, Joint List and Ra’am said they’ll collaborate with the opposition bloc to push Netanyahu out but not necessarily to form a government.”
SupportedJabareen said the Joint List was ready to support the Change bloc from outside through tactical voting.World news | The Guardian: “The Joint List has no intention of joining such a government, but Jabareen said the coalition was ready to keep it afloat from the outside with tactical voting in the Knesset.”
SupportedRa’am leader Mansour Abbas has signalled he is ready to join an Eisenkot government.World news | The Guardian: “Ra’am and its leader, Mansour Abbas, have signalled it is ready to join an Eisenkot coalition.”
SupportedNetanyahu’s coalition won 53 seats.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “A coalition of Jewish conservative and far-right parties led by Prime Minister Netanyahu’s Likud won 53 seats in a Knesset of 120 seats, falling short of a majority.”
SupportedThe Arab parties won a record 19 seats.World news | The Guardian: “The Change bloc of Zionist parties led by the retired general Gadi Eisenkot has 48 seats, leaving the Arab-Israeli parties as potential kingmakers with a record 19 seats.”
SupportedNetanyahu claimed, without evidence, that Arab parties committed election fraud with foreign backing.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “Netanyahu has claimed repeatedly and without proof that Arab parties committed fraud during the elections with foreign backing.”
