Palestinian Authority Pressured Arab Parties to Reunite Joint List to Oust Netanyahu

Senior Palestinian Authority officials, including President Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen), exerted significant pressure on leaders of the Arab parties Hadash, Ta'al, and Balad to reunite and reestablish the Joint List. The efforts aimed to consolidate the Arab vote to prevent Benjamin Netanyahu from returning to power, according to a report published on August 29, 2026, by Hadashot HaShavua.

The PA's main focus was on persuading Ta'al chairman and Knesset member Ahmad Tibi to accept a compromise on the distribution of mandates within the Joint List after negotiations had stalled. Discussions took place in Ramallah, where a senior PA official warned the Arab party leaders against repeating past mistakes that could enable Netanyahu's comeback, calling the election a historic opportunity for the Palestinian people.

The agreed-upon arrangement places Hadash leader Yousef Jabareen at the top of the list, followed by Tibi and then Balad chairman Sami Abu Shehadeh. Notably, the alliance excludes Mansour Abbas's Ra'am party, with the stated goal of increasing voter turnout among the Arab community. After the announcement, Abu Shehadeh described the union as a delayed but clear and serious democratic alternative in Israeli politics, emphasizing that Balad will not serve as a "tool" for any prime ministerial candidate.

A recent News 12 poll showed the Joint List winning seven Knesset seats, while Ra'am secured four. Joint List sources responded that the decision to reunite was made for the benefit of the Arab public and their commitment to ousting Netanyahu, denying that external pressures influenced their choice.