Arab parties in Israeli Knesset meet to coordinate efforts to replace Netanyahu govt
Anadolu JERUSALEM / ISTANBUL Arab parties represented in Israel’s parliament, the Knesset, held their first meeting Monday since last week’s elections to coordinate efforts to repl...
Arab parties in Israel's Knesset convened their inaugural meeting on Monday, following last week's elections, with the aim of coordinating efforts to replace Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's administration. This took place two days prior to Israeli President Isaac Herzog initiating consultations, slated for Wednesday, with parties elected to the 120-member Knesset to ascertain who should be entrusted with forming a government.
The Arab parties earned 19 seats in the recent election, contrasted with Netanyahu's coalition securing 53 seats and opposition parties amassing 48. Neither coalition has achieved the required 61 seats to form a majority. Ahmad Tibi, leader of the Joint List parliamentary bloc, shared an image of the meeting on the US social media platform X, stating the objective was to "bring down the Netanyahu, (Itamar) Ben-Gvir and (Bezalel) Smotrich government and replace it with a government of change."
The photograph showcased Tibi alongside Yousef Jabareen, Joint List leader of the Democratic Front for Peace and Equality, Bakr Awawdeh, National Democratic Assembly representative, and Mansour Abbas, United Arab List leader. As political discussions escalate ahead of Herzog's consultations with parties regarding the mandate for the next government, the Together party, led by former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, has recommended Yeshar party leader Gadi Eisenkot for premiership.
Similar momentum is observed within the Democrats party, led by Yair Golan, and Yisrael Beiteinu, headed by Avigdor Lieberman, who also expressed intentions to recommend Eisenkot. Should all 19 Arab lawmakers endorse Eisenkot, he could garner the backing of 67 lawmakers, compared to Netanyahu's 53. Should this occur, it might sway Herzog's decision on whom to initially confer the mandate to form a government, notwithstanding Netanyahu's Likud party's leading position within the Knesset.
Netanyahu, aged 76, has held five consecutive terms as prime minister, positioning him as Israel's longest-serving premier.
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