19 seats, two companies, one decision: the battle for the legitimacy of the Arab voice

The article reviews the political journey of Arab parties in Israel, from the days of 'satellite parties' under Mapai patronage to the joining of Ra'am in the change government. Now, with 19 seats in the elections for the 26th Knesset, the debate over the legitimacy of the Arab voice in Israeli politics has resurfaced.

The article reviews the political journey of Arab parties in Israel, from the days of 'satellite parties' under Mapai patronage, through Rabin's 'blocking bloc' in the 1990s, to the joining of Ra'am in the change government in 2021. Now, after the elections for the 26th Knesset and the achievement of 19 seats for the Arab parties, the debate over the legitimacy of the Arab voice in Israeli politics has resurfaced. The article describes the dual control mechanisms of the military government and the Shin Bet, the role of the Communist Party in exposing the Kafr Qasim massacre, and Netanyahu's courtship of the Arab vote in 2021, which paved the way for Ra'am's joining the coalition. The analysis points to a glass ceiling that left the Arab parties outside the official decision-making table, even during the 'blocking bloc' period.