19 seats: Arab bloc poised to shape Israel's next coalition

Gadi Eisenkot, the Israeli politician tasked with forming the country's next government, accused caretaker prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday of driving a racist campaign against the Arab minority. Eisenkot made the comments after Netanyahu sought to delegitimize Arab lawmakers by linking them to Hamas.

The political dispute centers on two Arab-majority parties, Raam and the Joint List. These groups won a combined 19 seats in last month's election. That total represents nearly a sixth of the 120-seat parliament. The bloc potentially holds the power to determine which coalition governs.

Arab citizens account for more than 20 percent of the Israeli population. Eisenkot wrote on X that these citizens are an integral part of the Israeli story. He described the current effort to marginalize them as a profound violation of civic responsibility principles driven by the outgoing prime minister for political purposes.

Netanyahu and his allies have criticized Arab party leaders for not labeling Hamas a terror group following the October 7, 2023 attack. All leaders of the Arab parties condemned that attack, in which Arab Israelis were among those killed. Netanyahu has also alleged electoral fraud by these parties, claims that electoral authorities have rejected.

During a recent oath ceremony, national security minister Itamar Ben Gvir heckled Joint List leader Yousef Jabareen. Ben Gvir accused Jabareen of having pledged allegiance to Hamas. Netanyahu also lamented that the Arab lists refused to recognize Israel as a Jewish state, despite past statements by Raam leader Mansour Abbas to that effect.

Eisenkot stated that it is legitimate to disagree with representatives of the Arab parties. "But it is neither legitimate nor acceptable to malign an entire community, and I will not allow it," he said. President Isaac Herzog gave Eisenkot the mandate to form a new government on Sunday after consultations with political parties.

The path to a government remains uncertain. Right-wing ally Avigdor Lieberman said he will withdraw from the coalition if Arab Israelis are part of it. Eisenkot has 28 days to build a government, with the option for a 14-day extension. If he fails, the mandate likely passes to Netanyahu.