‘We Need Bold Leadership’: Netanyahu Faces Coalition Hurdle As Israel Opposition Pushes For Jewish-Arab Government

Jerusalem: The Election Commission in Israel is currently counting the 'double envelope' votes. These represent the voters who cast absentee ballots, largely made up of IDF soldiers, along with votes from prisoners, medical personnel, those with medical conditions, and Israeli representatives in missions abroad. 

As of now, incumbent PM Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud is projected to have 26 seats, making it the largest party in the Knesset. Along with his coalition allies like United Torah Judaism, Shas, and Otzma Yehudit the Likud led bloc is projected to win 53 seats which is short of the 61 needed for majority.  

The opposition bloc, comprising Gadi Eisenkot's Yashar, Naftali Bennett's B’Yachad, Avidgdor Liberman's Yisrael Beytenu, and Yair Golan's The Democrats, was projected to have 48 seats. The Arab parties which includes the Joint List and Ra'am are projected to win 19 seats.    

Now all eyes are on what shape a possible government will take. There has been a call for the Anti-Nteanyahu bloc to get the Arab parties on their side and cobble together a majority to keep Bibi out. On Wednesday night several people led by Yair Golan's party were on the streets calling for a Jewish-Arab coalition. 

"We’re on the streets across the country to say YES to a joint Jewish-Palestinian government! No to racism, messianism and supremacy. In Israel’s election, a historic majority of Jews and Palestinians voted for a different future – 67 mandates for change while Netanyahu’s bloc received 53. To form a government, a bloc must have 61 mandates. We are the majority, Jews and Palestinians, and we demand a joint government now! The Jewish opposition parties must partner with the Arab parties and deliver change for everyone as the first step in a future of peace, equality, and justice. These elections have proved what we know and have been fighting for for 11 years now – only Jewish-Palestinian partnership can bring the change we all deserve," the party said. 

Golan himself called for bold leadership as he pushed for the bloc to get talking to the Arab parties.

"Most of the Israeli public wants a government of change and the salvation of Israel. We have a majority for that. We just need bold leadership," Golan told Israeli media.  
The Arab parties have crossed all expectations with a projected 19 seats in the Knesset. That number could come down a bit after the double envelope count but the Arab parties have signalled an intent to work with the Eisenkot led bloc.  

"We will act with all our might to bring an end to Netanyahu's bloody reign. Yes, we are ready for political cooperation to establish an alternative government that will offer a true alternative and commit to a substantive change in the current government's racist policies, recognition of our public's rights, and an end to its exclusion and the attempt to exclude its representatives from the political system...We will continue to fight for our public and for a better future for all of us. A future based on full equality, on true and equitable partnership, and on recognition of all our rights. Without us, it's impossible. But together with us, it is certainly possible," the Joint list statement read.  

Eisenkot knows that road will be tough to walk on especially when it comes to issues like their stand on Palestine and action against Iran, but he continues to advocate for change.  

"Long workdays still await us, but we are focused on the heavy task entrusted to us—bringing change to Israel and establishing a Zionist mobilization government. This is the will of the people who expressed no confidence in the government of October 7th and the shirking, and in the bloc of shirkers in general. A bloc that is at the low point of two decades. I feel the weight of the responsibility and the trust that hundreds of thousands of citizens, men and women, who believe in the State of Israel and Zionism, have placed in me," Eisenkot said.  

With Israel President Isaac Herzog urging party leaders to avoid the spectre of a fresh election, it’s now down to the negotiation board. The question remains as to which faction will first bend on its principles and accept the other. One thing uniting the opposition parties is the need to get Netanyahu out. The Likud party leader however is a consummate politician and he could still have an ace up his sleeve.