Netanyahu Assails Joint List Over Potential Support for Eisenkot Government

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has attacked the Joint List and its head, Yousef Jabareen, following Jabareen's statements about the list's readiness to provide a "safety net" for an alternative government. Netanyahu interpreted this as support for a government led by Gadi Eisenkot, with the participation of Arab parties and other opposition forces. "The head of the Joint List admits they will form a government with Eisenkot," Netanyahu wrote, adding that Eisenkot could not form a government without Arab parties, Yair Golan, Avigdor Lieberman, and Naftali Bennett. Jabareen had stated in a video that the Joint List was prepared to use available political tools to change the current government, serving as a "safety net" for its people and the democratic Jewish community. He clarified that supporting any alternative government would be conditional on demands, including a funded plan to combat crime in the Arab community and a path toward establishing a Palestinian state. These remarks come ahead of the October 27 Israeli elections, amidst political calculations about forming a government to replace Netanyahu's, with polls indicating difficulty for any bloc to secure a parliamentary majority without Arab party support. The issue of Arab parties' participation or support for a future government is causing division within the Israeli opposition. Yair Golan, head of the Democratic Party, sees potential for Arab party participation in government, while Eisenkot has rejected involving the United Arab List in any government he might lead. Netanyahu is leveraging these positions in his election campaign, portraying a potential rival government as reliant on Arab parties. Jabareen, conversely, frames the Joint List's stance as an effort to influence future policies and advance the demands of the Arab community, not to offer unconditional support.