Aliza Bloch Supports Inclusive Government Talks but Rules Out Terror-Linked Arab Parties

Aliza Bloch, who joined Gilad Erdan's party on Monday, expressed openness to including Arab representation in a broad Israeli government, provided the parties support national service for Arab citizens and recognize Israel as a Jewish and democratic state. In an interview on Channel 12's "Mahadurat Hayom," Bloch emphasized her desire to be "colorblind" toward children from diverse communities, including Maghar, Isfiya, Rahat, and Herzliya Pituah, advocating for unity rather than division. She criticized narrow governments where a single party holds the balance of power and called for a wide coalition.

When pressed about the possibility of sitting with the Arab party Ra'am, Bloch affirmed there is room for everyone in the government, stressing that the political discourse should move beyond the binary of "yes to ultra-Orthodox, no to Arabs." She highlighted the urgency of national healing following the October 7 Hamas attack, which she said underscored the need for unity across Israeli society.

Gilad Erdan clarified his position, rejecting any government coalition with Arab parties that support terrorism or refuse to define Hamas as a terrorist organization. He stated that only Zionist Arab parties that back national service and acknowledge Israel's Jewish identity could be considered for government inclusion, explicitly excluding Ra'am and the Joint List.

Following the controversy sparked by her initial remarks, Bloch retracted any suggestion of cooperating with terror-supporting parties, affirming her stance against sitting with parties that do not recognize Hamas as a terrorist group. She reiterated the goal of forming the broadest possible government including Zionist parties committed to Israel's Jewish character and shared responsibility among Jews and Arabs.

Bloch's statements come amid efforts by Erdan to build a wide coalition government, marking his departure from Likud and signaling a shift toward inclusivity within certain boundaries regarding Arab parties' participation.