Arab Joint List Ready to Back Eisenkot Government to Oust Netanyahu

Ahmad Tibi, head of the Arab Movement for Change, described the results for the Arab Joint List as a significant and unprecedented achievement, attributing the high Arab voter turnout as a key factor in preventing Benjamin Netanyahu from securing 61 seats needed to form a new government. Tibi emphasized that this success was due to the Arab public's large participation, which directly impacted the election outcomes and political power balance. He stated that Netanyahu cannot form a government under current circumstances and urged the change bloc, led by Gadi Eisenkot, to act decisively to form an alternative government.

Tibi clarified that the Arab Joint List is prepared to facilitate the formation of a government led by Eisenkot, even a minority one, with the primary goal of ending Netanyahu's tenure and avoiding new elections. He estimated that if the anti-Netanyahu bloc reaches 65 or 66 seats, Netanyahu's government could be toppled within one to two weeks, paving the way for a new government. Tibi believes the election results represent a democratic defeat for Netanyahu and his camp, and that excluding Arab votes from political calculations complicates the situation.

Furthermore, Tibi revealed that changing the Knesset speaker is the initial strategic step the change bloc should take, with the Arab Joint List ready to vote for the opposition's candidate for the position. This move, he explained, would test the seriousness of Eisenkot and his allies in their pursuit of power. The Arab Joint List seeks to be a partner in this process and is open to dialogue with parties aiming to end Netanyahu's rule, noting that contacts have already been made with opposition officials.

Tibi dismissed Eisenkot's conditions regarding dealings with Arab parties as pre-election rhetoric, arguing that conditions for government entry differ from understandings needed to enable an alternative government. He stressed that the Arab Joint List is not seeking to join the government at this stage but to enable its change, asserting that current seat numbers make the list and its constituents essential players in any move to oust Netanyahu. He pointed out that the 12 or 13 seats held by the list can significantly influence the formation of the next government.

Finally, Tibi reiterated the Arab Joint List's refusal to pursue new elections, seeing an opportunity for an alternative government if the political will exists within the change bloc. He placed the responsibility on Eisenkot and other opposition leaders to choose between leveraging Arab votes to change the government or allowing Netanyahu to remain in power. Tibi concluded by emphasizing the Arab vote's proven importance in shifting power dynamics and the need for practical opposition action over mere statements.