Hadash, Ta'al, and Balad Agree to Run Joint List Without Ra'am in Upcoming Elections

The Arab parties Hadash, Ta'al, and Balad have agreed to run together on a joint list in the upcoming Israeli elections, excluding Mansour Abbas's Ra'am party. According to the agreement announced on August 26, 2024, Hadash chairman Yousef Jabareen will lead the list, followed by Ta'al leader Ahmad Tibi, with Balad chairman Sami Abu Shehadeh in third place. The list will include representatives from all three parties, with a rotation planned for the sixth spot.

This coalition formation follows a meeting between Jabareen and former Ta'al MK Osama Saadi, aiming to increase voter turnout among the Arab community. Ra'am is expected to run separately and will hold primaries on the coming Saturday.

Recent polls by Channel 12 indicate that Balad running independently from Hadash-Ta'al fails to pass the electoral threshold. A scenario examined in a poll last week showed that a united Hadash-Ta'al-Balad list would strengthen to six seats, while Ra'am would also gain strength with six seats. This alliance would maintain the opposition bloc against Netanyahu at 70 seats, with Arab parties increasing their representation to 12 seats, and Zionist parties decreasing to 58.

The official announcement of the joint list is pending, but the agreement marks a significant step toward consolidating the Arab political front ahead of the elections.