Hundreds of Israelis took to the streets on Saturday, urging the opposition to unite with Arab parties to oust Benjamin Netanyahu, the Prime Minister of Israel. Netanyahu has recently launched fierce attacks against the leaders of this minority group.
Election and New Challenges
Arab parties saw a significant increase in votes in the recent elections held on Tuesday, due to dissatisfaction with the tone and behavior of Netanyahu's right-wing government. However, Gadi Eisenkot, the opposition leader, has yet to make a decision regarding forming a coalition with them.
A 55-year-old video artist named Sharon Balaban said at the protest, "This is the last chance for real change" and warned against the continuation of bloodshed. He also called for giving peace a chance.
Continuing Tensions and Disagreements in the Opposition
The recent elections resulted in an unclear outcome, as neither of the two blocs managed to achieve a majority of the 120 seats in the Israeli parliament. A coalition between the two camps could grant the anti-Netanyahu bloc 67 seats, but some opposition parties do not support this idea.
Eisenkot, a former military commander and a newcomer in politics, shares similar views with Netanyahu on security issues. He has stated that he will only form a government whose members adhere to "recognizing Israel as a Jewish, democratic, and liberal state" and "recognizing Hamas as a terrorist organization."
While he has stated that he does not want to form a government dependent on Arab parties, Eisenkot has not explicitly rejected their foreign support. Meanwhile, Yair Golan, the leader of the left-wing Democrats, has supported the possibility of forming a government that relies on Arab parties.
Alongside this protest, over 100 supporters of Netanyahu also held a counter-protest, chanting slogans in support of the right-wing government. Netanyahu also addressed allegations of electoral fraud on election day, claiming that Arab parties were operating with cash amounts.
The President of Israel, Isaac Herzog, is expected to assign a party leader the task of forming a government by Thursday, and this process may be accompanied by a 14-day extension.
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