Palestinian Authority Fears Netanyahu-Ben Gvir Victory, Pushes Arab Party Unity

Mohammad Magadla, a correspondent for Channel 12 News, revealed on Sunday that the Palestinian Authority is deeply concerned about a potential victory for the right-wing bloc in upcoming elections. Magadla stated on 103fm radio that since the current government led by Benjamin Netanyahu, Itamar Ben Gvir, and Bezalel Smotrich was formed, the PA has faced economic difficulties and growing violence in villages. This has led them to pressure Arab political parties to unite.

Magadla noted that PA officials did not deny reports of meetings in Ramallah with Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas, calling such interactions "unusual." These efforts reportedly focused on convincing leaders of the Arab parties Hadash, Ta'al, and Balad to reform the Joint List, with the clear message being to overcome internal disputes and unite to "overthrow Netanyahu."

The PA's involvement was particularly directed at Ta'al chairman Ahmad Tibi, as negotiations between the three parties had stalled over seat allocations. PA officials attempted to persuade Tibi to accept a compromise to facilitate the union. These contacts ultimately led to Hadash, Ta'al, and Balad announcing their intention to run together in the upcoming elections, excluding the Ra'am party led by Mansour Abbas.

According to reports from Ramallah, a senior PA official told leaders of Arab parties, "We must not repeat the mistakes of the previous election and allow Netanyahu to return to power. You are missing a historic opportunity for our people because of internal quarrels."