Israeli Opposition Parties Clash Over Potential Arab Party Coalition

Public disagreements persist within Israel's "Change Bloc" opposition parties regarding a potential alliance with Arab parties in a future government, despite a show of unity at a September 26 meeting. Yair Golan, head of the Democratic Party, expressed support for including an Arab party in the government, calling it "natural, correct, dignified, democratic, and reflects the essence of 'change' after years of incitement." His statement followed remarks by Gadi Eisenkot, head of the National Unity Party, who stated that Arab parties would not be part of the next government. Eisenkot outlined conditions for coalition partners, including recognition of Israel as a Jewish and democratic state, adherence to the Declaration of Independence, and the obligation of conscription. He added a fourth condition: recognizing Hamas as a terrorist organization to be destroyed. Eisenkot declared that under these criteria, neither ultra-Orthodox nor Arab parties, including Ra'am, could join his party's government. In response, Yoav Segalovich, a Knesset candidate for Ra'am, asserted that "there is no government without Ra'am."