Crossing Israel's dividing lines: New Arab, haredi alliances can reshape the elections - opinion

In an opinion piece for The Jerusalem Post, Yedidia Stern, president of JPPI, argues that new alliances between Arab and haredi parties could reshape Israeli elections. Citing JPPI's Emotional Proximity Index, he notes that Arabs and haredim are the least-liked groups. He suggests that if Mansour Abbas and Yoav Segalovitz agree on Segalovitz leaving Yesh Atid to join Ra'am, it could challenge the image of Arab parties. He also mentions a new haredi movement and estimates at least two Knesset seats worth of haredi voters seek integration.

In an opinion piece for The Jerusalem Post, Yedidia Stern, president of the Jewish People Policy Institute (JPPI), argues that new alliances between Arab and haredi (ultra-Orthodox) parties could reshape Israeli elections. Citing JPPI's Emotional Proximity Index, which measures Israelis' attitudes toward 10 groups, Stern notes that Arabs and haredim are the two least-liked groups, with haredim at the very bottom. He argues this emotional distance has political implications, as sectoral parties are often blacklisted by other actors. Stern suggests that if Mansour Abbas and Yoav Segalovitz could agree on Segalovitz leaving Yesh Atid to join Ra'am, it could challenge the image of Arab parties as disloyal. He also highlights dissatisfaction within haredi society, mentioning an organized movement led by Rabbi David Leibel through the Achvat Torah network, and a new party called 'The Haredi Public'. Stern estimates at least two Knesset seats worth of haredi voters seek integration. He concludes that such cross-sectoral moves could strengthen the common denominator of Israeli society: citizenship.