Arab Citizens Face Political Exclusion Despite Electoral Voice
Prime Minister Netanyahu recently released a video comparing the school boycott faced by a child to the "boycott" he claims the opposition imposes on him. The video depicts a mother removing her son from school due to other students boycotting him. However, the article argues that while Netanyahu complains of being boycotted, Palestinian citizens of Israel face a genuine, daily political boycott.
Despite comprising nearly one-fifth of Israel's population and having their votes counted in elections, Arab parties are systematically excluded from government coalition formations. The author contends that Netanyahu's video is based on incitement and falsehoods, as he has previously formed coalitions with various parties, and his current political discourse concerns his actions, not a boycott. The real boycott, the article asserts, is the exclusion of Palestinian citizens of Israel and their representative parties from the political process, a practice reinforced by both right-wing and some centrist and left-wing parties.
Palestinian citizens of Israel are not mere spectators but an integral part of the state with political rights and representation. The prevailing assumption in Israeli politics that an Arab-Jewish coalition is illegitimate leads to the exclusion of all Arab parties from coalition talks or even consideration for external support. This exclusion is perpetuated by Israeli media, which often omits Arab party seats when discussing potential government formations. This contrasts with public opinion, as evidenced by Netanyahu's past negotiations with the United Arab List (Ra'am) and polls showing a majority of anti-Netanyahu voters favoring Arab-Jewish partnership.
The upcoming elections present an opportunity to change this dynamic. Arab citizens and their representatives should be considered potential partners in coalition negotiations, influencing the government's agenda and policies. The article concludes that the true test of the next election will be whether the political power of Arab citizens translates into genuine influence and partnership in government, rather than remaining outside the coalition-forming equation.
