The Beginning of a Reconciliation

Orly Azoulay calls on the next prime minister to invite the Arab parties to the coalition, drawing a comparison to the struggle of Black Americans and warning of a social failure if they are not integrated.

In an opinion column, Orly Azoulay argues that the election results in Israel have created a historic moment that could be the beginning of a reconciliation between Jews and Arabs. She calls on the next prime minister, whether Gadi Eisenkot or Benjamin Netanyahu, to invite the Arab parties to join the coalition, citing their immense electoral power. Azoulay notes that the Arab population constitutes about 21% of Israel's citizens and compares their struggle to that of Black Americans, citing Barack Obama's presidency as an example of a symbolic breakthrough. She argues that integrating Arabs serves both a moral and practical interest, including improving Israel's international standing. However, she warns that the fringes on both sides should not set the tone, and concludes with a warning that if Arabs are not integrated, the Israeli social experiment will fail.