Leaders from the Arab Joint List and the Democrats met to evaluate the political situation following the election on October 27. The talks centered on potential coordination between their respective parliamentary blocs to challenge the current administration.
Joint List Chairman Yousef Jabareen and parliamentary group leader Ahmad Tibi met with Democrats leader Yair Golan. The meeting was confirmed in a formal statement released by the Arab Joint List.
Preliminary election outcomes show the bloc led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu securing 53 seats in the 120-member Knesset. Opposition parties have gathered 48 seats. Arab parties captured a total of 19 seats, with 11 going to the Joint List and eight secured by Ra’am.
During the meeting, both sides emphasized their shared interest in using the parliamentary majority to bring down the Netanyahu-Ben-Gvir-Smotrich government and replace it, according to the statement.
Jabareen and Tibi also raised key issues facing Arab citizens of Israel and discussed steps aimed at advancing practical and real solutions. Arab citizens account for roughly 20 percent of the total Israeli population, which exceeds 10 million residents.
Representatives from both factions agreed to maintain ongoing communication and coordination ahead of upcoming political maneuvers. They also pledged to strengthen parliamentary cooperation and promote an agenda centered on equality and peace.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog is scheduled to hold consultations with representatives from all Knesset parties. These meetings will take place on Wednesday and Thursday to determine which lawmaker receives the mandate to form the next government.
Gadi Eisenkot, leader of the Yashar party and head of the opposition Change bloc, could receive the highest number of parliamentary recommendations. This outcome depends heavily on whether he secures the backing of Arab lawmakers.
Netanyahu is 76 years old and has served five nonconsecutive terms, making him the longest-serving prime minister in the country’s history. He has headed the current administration since late 2022. That coalition is widely described as the most far-right government in Israeli history.
The prime minister faces a trial on corruption charges. Those legal accusations include bribery, fraud, and breach of trust, which carry potential prison sentences upon conviction.
He is also wanted under an arrest warrant issued in 2024 by the International Criminal Court. The court issued the warrant over accusations of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza, where more than 74,000 Palestinians have been killed since October 2023.
