The Arab Joint List on Tuesday strongly criticized Israeli caretaker Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, accusing him of displaying “total hysteria” during a parliamentary speech targeting Arab political parties. The bloc also pledged to work towards removing him and his government from power.
During his address to the Knesset, Netanyahu accused the Joint List and the United Arab List of wanting to destroy Israel, as opposition politicians explored the possibility of forming a new government with support from Arab parties.
In response, the Joint List described Netanyahu’s remarks as an expression of political desperation, condemning what it called incitement, racism and hostility towards Arab citizens.
The bloc vowed to respond to its supporters’ demands by pursuing efforts to remove Netanyahu, the Knesset speaker and their government from office. It said their political leadership should eventually become part of history.
United Arab List leader Mansour Abbas also expressed strong opposition to Netanyahu’s remarks. Speaking to Israel’s Channel 12, Abbas said he was astonished that the prime minister had used an official parliamentary occasion to encourage hostility towards Arab citizens and make what he described as fabricated accusations against them.
Abbas further emphasized that his party’s political commitments and position were clear and should not be questioned.
The political confrontation comes as Yashar party leader Gadi Eisenkot continues negotiations to establish a new governing coalition following the inconclusive parliamentary election held on October 27.
Eisenkot’s four-party alliance currently controls 48 seats in the 120-member Knesset, while Netanyahu’s political bloc holds 53. The Joint List and United Arab List collectively possess 19 parliamentary seats, making their support potentially significant in determining the next government.
Although Netanyahu’s opponents share the objective of ending his premiership, disagreements remain over the structure of a future coalition and the extent to which Arab parties should participate in government formation.
On Sunday, Israeli President Isaac Herzog officially appointed Eisenkot to lead negotiations for forming a government. He has 28 days to complete the process, although the deadline can be extended by an additional 14 days.
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