Will we vote on April 9th?

I acknowledge and admit that my arguments regarding voting are not stronger than my desire to boycott the elections.

My justifications are not stronger than the arguments of those calling for boycotting the elections (especially the ideologues / principled).

I will not vote because I am convinced of the honour of being represented in the Knesset, or because I believe in the importance of this presence in the Israeli parliament surpasses all other considerations, or because I underestimate or undervalue the idea of boycotts and those who call for it. I have the utmost respect for most of them, and I believe the majority of them have solid and concrete arguments capable of convincing many.

I will not vote in the hope that the Arab MKs will solve my problems, or because I am satisfied with their performance (I am not satisfied with myself, so I will not criticise others). I say this in spite of my fear that the candidates will rest assured.

I will not vote because the Joint List has preserved itself or because it proposed visions and came up with a complete strategic programme that serves the Arab Palestinian citizens of Israel. Unfortunately, it has failed to do so. The Joint List has been abandoned by some of its founders and turned into two lists. It may even be turned into three; only God knows. Marriage for the sake of interests falls apart faster than expected.

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I will not vote because I am motivated by the desire to exercise my democratic right. This country’s democracy is only guaranteed for a limited time. It is largely a democracy of candidacy and election.

I will not vote to beautify and whitewash the image of a country that wants me to be a citizen without a homeland and a throat without a voice.

I will not vote to please anyone else. I will vote to please myself.

I will vote for relatively simple reasons; reasons that may not be based on a profound principle.

I will vote because a failure to vote now, without having alternatives and sufficient mobilisation for such alternatives, may have harsh consequences. In such a case, a vacuum may emerge that may be exploited by the followers and workers of the Israeli parties.

I will vote so that I may perhaps kill the current Prime Minister’s hopes of avoiding prosecution. This year, Netanyahu will turn 70 years old. Now he wants to win a fifth term to prove his presence and wants to, along with his aides, to change the laws making it illegal to put a prime minister on trial during their term. If we boycott, his hopes will be achieved, but if we vote, his dreams will be crushed. We may manage to crush them.

I will vote so that I may contribute to eliminating the Yisrael Beiteinu list, which was fuelled by its racism against the Arabs, thus resulting in surprising results went up against the Likud Party (where its founder, Avigdor Lieberman, had been a member). Lieberman had taken the initiative four years ago to raise the electoral threshold to prevent Arab lists from reaching the threshold). Perhaps if the percentage of Arab voters increases, voting may contribute to the failure of some right-wing lists from being represented in the Knesset. We could vote and crush the dreams of those who dreamt of crushing us. We could potentially silence the dirty tongues that echo the thoughts of their owners.

I will vote with some hope that I will find those who are truthful and genuinely support our struggle to remove the undeserving Patriarch Theophilos III for the sake of Arabising our Orthodox Church. I will not support anyone who dodges responsibility, plots, and manoeuvres.

I will vote to strengthen the chances of the two main Arab lists to reach the electoral threshold, especially since some expect one of them to fail. There are even some who hope for this to occur and work to achieve it.

I will vote and may God help me.

This article first appeared in Arabic in Arab48 on 2 April 2019

With elections weeks away, Israel pounds Gaza – Cartoon [Sabaaneh/MiddleEastMonitor]

The views expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Middle East Monitor.