Standing Together launches a new Jewish-Arab party for Knesset run

The protest movement Standing Together announced today that it is forming a political party and will run in the Knesset. The party will be led by the movement’s co-chairs, feminist Arab activist Rula Daoud and veteran left-wing activist Alon-Lee Green.

The new party says it will combine two messages, political left and economic left. Its first goal is to restore personal security in Arab communities by promoting employment, strengthening the police, and turning it into a body that dismantles crime organizations. Its second goal is peace with the Palestinians, including negotiations with the Palestinian leadership, withdrawing the army from Gaza and Lebanon, and integrating Israel into the Middle East through diplomatic agreements such as the Arab Peace Initiative.

On the economic side, the party is calling for free education from age zero and a minimum wage of 50 shekels an hour. The article notes that inflation has raised the target from a previous demand of 40 shekels an hour, while the current minimum wage is 35 shekels an hour.

Politically, the new list is positioned directly where Hadash is now, amid disappointment with current Arab lawmakers and calls for fresh faces and new methods. A party source told Srugim that the initial plan is to run independently, but mergers have not been ruled out. In the Democratic camp, crowded primaries could still leave room for an alliance with Hadash if it runs separately from the Arab Joint List or joins with Ta'al, as in the last election.