Israel has ‘historic’ opportunity to change direction, says leader of Arab coalition

“However, in order to use our political power to get rid of the extreme Netanyahu government, we said that we will consider the possibility of supporting from outside. This is an opportunity to change policies, to change attitudes, including towards the Arab community and towards the Palestinian people.

“This is really a historic moment and I hope that there will be partners within the opposition to go ahead with that. We are thinking that this could be the start of a change.”

Jabareen, 54, a former law professor and the leader of the socialist Hadash party, has yet to talk to Eisenkot since Tuesday’s elections, but he confirmed that informal discussions among opposition parties were under way.

Forming a new government was unlikely to be straightforward. The party leaders in the Change bloc have to agree on a candidate for prime minister. They would also have to accept partnership with Arab parties, either in coalition or from outside. The rightwing opposition leader, Avigdor Lieberman, is said to be the most resistant. Joint List officials said it was unclear whether partnership with Palestinians really crossed Lieberman’s red lines, or whether he was just holding out for a top cabinet position.

Even before a new government could be formed, Jabareen argued, the 67 opponents of Netanyahu in the new Knesset could use their clear majority to wrest control of legislative power. “That would start by changing the speaker of the Knesset,” he said, adding that the opposition could also take control of the committee that oversees the legislative agenda.

“That could be very crucially important … even before we reach conclusions on the issue of a coalition and a new government,” he said, adding that one of the priorities of the new Knesset should be to repeal laws passed by the outgoing majority that infringed the independence of Israel’s judiciary.

To allow an opposition coalition to oust Netanyahu and function as a minority government, Jabareen made clear it would also have to address deep-seated inequality in Israeli society.

“We have suffered from systemic discrimination for years, so if Eisenkot speaks of change, I believe that the change should come also for our community. We need to be treated equally,” he said. “We also ask for a political horizon. We would like to see the war stopped and the resumption of negotiation with the Palestinian leadership. We would like to see a start of a change.”

The Joint List leader said he was concerned over what Netanyahu might do to keep his grip on power. The prime minister has already made allegations, without evidence, that the Arab parties had used Qatari funds illegally in the election campaign, which Jabareen dismissed as a bid to “delegitimise the political power of the Arab community” and “a dangerous incitement”.

One of Jabareen’s concerns was that the Israeli leader would join Donald Trump in the resumption of war on Iran as a pretext for putting off political transition.

“This is really a critical period,” he said. “There should be a clear voice from the opposition to go against any attempt by him to initiate war … or dictate a new military agenda in Israel.”

Kaynak: The Guardian · Özgün metin İngilizcedir.