The Arab party coalition known as the “Joint List” came in third in the recent Israeli national election. This means they could theoretically form either a long-term coalition or temporary voting bloc with either Netanyahu’s Likud party or the runner-up Zionist Union. A bloc with Likud is unlikely, yet such a thing is not unheard of in House of Mirrors that is Israeli parliamentary politics. The splinter parties (typically ultra-Orthodox) have been playing this game for decades, allowing themselves to be courted by Likud or Labor, whichever party is just a few votes shy of a working majority. The Arabs are new to this game, which is surprising given that they comprise some 20% of Israel’s voting public. Compromise politics is something that Israeli Arabs (not to mention Palestinians) haven’t been good at in the past, but the times, they could be a-changin’.
Let’s hope so anyway.
NYT: Arab voters cheer alliance gains
Photo source: Times of Israel