Arab Joint List extends hand to Eisenkot’s bloc to oust Netanyahu gov’t

Ahmad Tibi, an Arab member of Israel’s Knesset and head of the predominantly Arab Joint List parliamentary bloc, said the bloc was extending its hand to the “change bloc” to oust the government of Benjamin Netanyahu, Anadolu reports.

The “change bloc” is an opposition alliance seeking to replace Prime Minister Netanyahu’s government. It includes former military chief Gadi Eisenkot’s Yashar party, Yair Lapid’s Yesh Atid, Yair Golan’s Democrats, Naftali Bennett’s Beyachad, and Avigdor Lieberman’s Yisrael Beiteinu.

The “massive turnout among Arab citizens is a historic achievement for the Joint List, which answered the public’s call for unity and proved that it is a decisive force without which change is impossible,” Tibi said in a written statement received by Anadolu.

“We extend our hands toward the ‘change bloc’ to oust the Netanyahu-Ben-Gvir government — which will begin with the removal of Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana,” he added.

READ: Netanyahu’s bloc projected to secure 54 seats, Eisenkot-led bloc 49 as Israeli vote count reaches 84%

According to a video released by his office, Tibi told Joint List supporters at a rally in the town of Tayibe in central Israel early Wednesday that their voices were “the loudest” despite attempts to “cut the electricity at polling stations and tried to obstruct voting.”

“Ben Gvir, the criminal, will not be police minister. His day has come,” he added.

Netanyahu’s bloc was projected to win 54 seats in the 120-member Knesset, seven short of a governing majority, with 84.5% of votes counted in Israel’s parliamentary elections, according to Israeli media.

The opposition bloc led by Eisenkot was projected to secure 49 seats, while predominantly Arab parties were projected to win 17 seats, according to The Times of Israel newspaper, citing the Central Elections Committee.

The predominantly Arab Joint List was projected to win 11 seats, while the United Arab List (Ra’am) was expected to secure six.

READ: Israel reports highest election turnout in 53 years amid strong Arab, opposition participation