Netanyahu's Survival Strategy Fueled by Arab Votes

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, facing corruption charges and political challenges, is once again demonstrating his resilience, drawing parallels to a fictional villain who repeatedly resurfaces. On Saturday, November 7, President Isaac Herzog tasked Gadi Eisenkot with forming a new government. Netanyahu has a history of turning potential political endings into new battles, particularly since his corruption investigations began a decade ago. Indicted in 2019 and on trial since 2020 for charges including bribery, fraud, and breach of trust, he left office in 2021 but returned after the 2022 elections. His comeback strategy has involved regrouping allies and has come at a cost to state institutions. His government advanced plans to alter the relationship between political power and the judiciary, with the Knesset approving an amendment in March 2025 to expand politicians' influence in judicial appointments. Netanyahu's own trial at the Jerusalem District Court highlighted a conflict of interest as a criminally charged prime minister sought to increase political control over the judiciary. He also pursued a pardon from President Herzog and publicly urged his friend Donald Trump to grant him one.

During Trump's presidency, significant US-Israel actions were taken, including the relocation of the US Embassy to Jerusalem in May 2018 and US recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the occupied Syrian Golan Heights in March 2019. By February 2026, cooperation allegedly escalated to a joint US-Israeli war against Iran, targeting its leadership, including Ali Khamenei. This war, however, reportedly contributed to Republican losses in the midterm elections, with J.D. Vance linking the defeat to the conflict and Washington's relationship with Israel.

Domestically, Netanyahu's return to power is marked by his alliance with far-right factions. Itamar Ben-Gvir was appointed Minister of National Security, and Bezalel Smotrich became Minister of Finance with expanded authority over the occupied West Bank. The Joint List party had previously sought to prevent Ben-Gvir's party from using the demolition of Arab homes in their campaign propaganda, highlighting the impact of this alliance on Arab citizens. Now, with Arab votes potentially tipping the balance against him, Netanyahu is framing their influence as a danger to the state. In a speech on Saturday, he warned that a government relying on Arab parties would lead to Israel's disintegration, citing France's recent protests, which, though stemming from different causes, he used to pressure the opposition.

Netanyahu proposed a unity government excluding Arab parties. This tactic, the article suggests, could incite violence among his supporters, similar to the January 6, 2021 Capitol events. The Likud party also announced its intention to petition for new elections, despite the Election Committee finding no evidence of irregularities affecting the vote's integrity. Eisenkot responded that the Likud could join his government if they disavowed extremist allies and accepted his principles. Meanwhile, the change bloc is pursuing a formal inquiry into the "failures of October 7th," which could hold the Prime Minister partially or fully responsible. Eisenkot's call is seen as a political rebellion within Likud. The Joint and United lists recommended Eisenkot to form the government to block Netanyahu, leaving their future role open. The United List previously participated in the Bennett-Lapid government, and Mansour Abbas has defended the right of Arab parties to participate in governance. One proposed scenario involved a United List representative voting for the government's formation while other members abstained. The article emphasizes the importance of Arab voters knowing what their representatives will demand on issues like organized crime, halting home demolitions, and the government's stance on the occupation and the ongoing settler violence in the West Bank. The responsibility now lies with those seeking to oust Netanyahu to clarify their approach to the Arab parties that aided their ascent, ensuring Netanyahu's political end without neglecting the potential for him to ignite a conflict with Iran, though this is now more difficult after his ally's electoral defeat.