Arab Parties to Sign Vote-Sharing Deal Ahead of Elections

Joint List Chairman Ahmad Tibi announced Thursday that the Joint List party intends to sign a surplus vote agreement with the United Arab List (Ra'am), led by Mansour Abbas. This agreement, which will be finalized after the parties are approved by the election committee, aims to strengthen the political connection between Arab parties.

Tibi's announcement comes amid his recent declarations that the Joint List seeks to replace the current right-wing government. He stated that the party is willing to take unprecedented steps to achieve this goal, specifically mentioning the desire to remove figures like Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich from power, asserting that "without us, there is no regime change." While Tibi did not detail the exact methods for replacing the government, his statements position the Joint List as a potentially crucial player in forming an alternative coalition.

The planned surplus vote agreement with Ra'am, which previously participated in the Bennett-Lapid government, reinforces the potential for Arab parties to align in a coalition against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. This move echoes past instances where Tibi signaled a willingness to engage in significant political actions to prevent Netanyahu from continuing as Prime Minister. In February, he suggested that if the Joint List secured 15-16 seats, Netanyahu might not serve as a caretaker prime minister.

Historically, parties within the Joint List have supported center-left candidates for prime minister. In September 2019, ten members of the Joint List recommended Benny Gantz to the President for the role of forming a government. The current agreement between Tibi and Abbas suggests that Arab parties may play a central role in efforts by Netanyahu's opponents to form the next government.