Arab bloc in Israel can help bring down Netanyahu government: Joint List leader

Joint List leader Yousef Jabareen said Saturday that the Arab political alliance can help bring down Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government and set conditions for any future governing coalition, Anadolu reports.

“In our hands is the ability to bring down this government and impose our conditions on any political formation after the election,” Jabareen said in a speech released by his office.

He pledged to use “all available tools” to bring about a change in government.

“According to all the data, there is no alternative government to the government of Netanyahu, (National Security Minister Itamar) Ben-Gvir and (Finance Minister Bezalel) Smotrich that can be formed without negotiating with the Joint List,” he said.

Jabareen described the upcoming vote as “not an ordinary election, but an existential election concerning our future in our homeland, which is the only one we have.”

He accused the Israeli government of “continuous targeting and unprecedented escalation against Arab citizens across different aspects of their lives.”

He also warned that government policies were leading the country and the region “toward the abyss.”

Jabareen said the unification of different parties and political circles under the Joint List followed demands from the Arab community for greater political unity.

“The Joint List today represents the broadest possible unity within our community among different parties and circles around a common goal,” he said.

He added that such unity gives Arab citizens greater political leverage.

READ: Former military secretary accuses Netanyahu’s office of falsifying Oct. 7 records

‘Safety net first for our people’

Jabareen said: “We will be a safety net, but first and foremost a safety net for our people.”

He said the bloc’s demands would include combating crime through a clear plan with a timetable, budget and oversight mechanisms.

Other demands include ending home demolitions, approving master plans, providing land for young couples and recognizing unrecognized Arab villages in the Negev, he added.

“Whoever wants our support should come and negotiate with us over the demands of our community,” he said.

Jabareen also said the Joint List would not remain silent over “genocide in Gaza and ethnic cleansing in the West Bank.”

He condemned incursions into the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, attacks on worshippers, restrictions on the Muslim call to prayer and attacks on churches, monasteries and clergy.

The election offered an opportunity to strengthen the political representation of Arab citizens of Israel, he added.

An Israeli opinion poll published Friday indicated that the Jewish opposition would need the support of Arab lawmakers to form an alternative government to Netanyahu’s coalition.

The poll also showed that a majority of Israelis opposed Arab parties joining the next government in the 120-member Knesset, Israel’s parliament.

Recent polls have shown neither Netanyahu’s bloc nor the Jewish opposition able to secure a governing majority independently ahead of the election scheduled for Oct. 26.

Most leaders of Jewish opposition parties have publicly rejected relying on Arab lawmakers to form an alternative government.

READ: Former Israeli premier accuses Netanyahu of preparing ground for war that could delay elections