An Arab political alliance in Israel has offered to support opposition parties seeking to remove Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, potentially giving them a path to form a new government after last month’s inconclusive election.
Ahmad Tibi, a senior lawmaker from the Arab-led Joint List, told The Associated Press that his bloc was willing to support an anti-Netanyahu government without formally joining the coalition.
“We want to do things that we did not do in the past in order to remove this criminal government,” Tibi said.
The Joint List secured 11 seats in the 120-member Knesset, while the other Arab-led party, Ra’am, won eight. Combined, they hold a record 19, making them a potential kingmaker in government negotiations.
Netanyahu’s right-wing bloc won 53 seats, while the Jewish-led opposition secured 48, leaving both short of the 61 required for a parliamentary majority.
Political barriers, however, are grave. Some opposing politicians object to partnering with Arab parties on the grounds that they do not want to use those parties because they are committed to Israel’s being a Jewish state and to not supporting calls to destroy Hamas.
Tibi conceded that supporting a hostile government would not bring an end to the wars or lead to a state for the Palestinians. However, he said it might help Arab citizens and resolve some domestic issues, such as high crime levels.
The talks could decide whether Netanyahu keeps the reins of power after years in office.
