Netanyahu Cites Arab Party's Response to Campaign Ad as Proof of Leftist Threat

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday attacked the Joint List, an Arab political alliance, after it responded to the Likud party's campaign slogan "Right or Palestine" with a single word: "Palestine." Netanyahu presented this response as evidence of the danger posed by a left-wing government reliant on Arab parties.

Netanyahu had initially posted the slogan "Right or Palestine" on social media, framing the election choice as between his "national government" and a "left-wing government of Gadi Eisenkot, [Avigdor] Lieberman, and Yair Golan with the Muslim Brotherhood that will establish a Palestinian state."

Following Netanyahu's post, the Joint List shared the Likud campaign ad on its official account and replied simply, "Palestine." Netanyahu then posted a screenshot of this response, stating, "Today the Joint List, which is already aligned with Eisenkot, responded to our ad with a clear answer: 'Palestine.'" He concluded with a message to right-wing voters: "There is only one way to prevent a Palestinian state, vote Likud!"

Netanyahu's attack comes amid ongoing debate about who Gadi Eisenkot, a potential opposition leader, could form a government with. While Eisenkot has stated that the Arab party Ra'am would not be part of his government, Ra'am's deputy leader presented a different picture, asserting that "Eisenkot will not have a government without Ra'am." Additionally, Yair Golan, a partner of Eisenkot, stated that integrating an Arab party, specifically Ra'am, into the government is "natural, correct, and appropriate."