Israeli Arab political power rising with elections, challenging world’s assumptions - analysis

Israeli Arab political power is rising as elections approach, challenging international assumptions. Mansour Abbas focuses on coalition arithmetic before negotiations. Arab parties have already influenced Israeli history, with Ra'am participating in the 2021 Bennett-Lapid government. The article examines differences among Arab parties and the conditions set by Gadi Eisenkot for partnership.

Israeli Arab political power is rising as elections approach, challenging international assumptions about the country. Mansour Abbas of Ra'am was asked late on election night about conditions Gadi Eisenkot had set for working with Arab parties, but Abbas focused on whether a government was viable first. The article examines how Arab citizens' votes contribute to the 61-seat majority needed in Israel's 120-seat parliament, and how governments can depend on those votes. Ra'am participated in the 2021 Bennett-Lapid coalition, and this election could again put Arab parties near the center of coalition negotiations. Three broadcasters projected Netanyahu's bloc short of a majority, while Channel 14's updated projection put it above one. The piece discusses differences among Arab parties: Abbas wants Ra'am to participate in government, while the Joint List (Hadash, Ta'al, Balad) has offered to negotiate support from outside. Ra'am recruited Yoav Segalovitz, a Jewish former Yesh Atid lawmaker. Eisenkot described conditions for partnership including acceptance of Israel as a Jewish and democratic state. The article also addresses the word 'apartheid', October 7 responses by Arab MKs, and positions of Naftali Bennett and Yair Golan.