THE Israeli Arab Joint List bloc will focus on ousting Netanyahu from office in the upcoming election, one of its parliamentarians has told Redaction Politics.
Israeli voters are set to head to the polls for the fourth time in the space of two years in March after the Knesset (Israeli parliament) was dissolved when the government failed to pass the 2020 state budget.
Incumbent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of the right wing Likud party faces ongoing protests against his leadership – while also facing trial for corruption.
Yousef Jabareen, a member of the Knesset for the Arab Joint List, told Redaction Politics that the bloc will fight to ensure Netanyahu loses his office.
He said: “This election, the fourth election in two years, reflects the failure of the Netanyahu led government and its ongoing crisis.
“Netanyahu’s main concern is to avoid the criminal proceedings against him and he will do everything to try save his position. We in the Joint List will do out best to block the re-election of Netanyahu and his racist and anti-democratic policies.”
The Joint List won 15 seats with 12.67% of the vote in the 2020 Knesset elections, setting a new record for percentage of the vote and number of seats for an Arab party.
Israel faced political deadlock over the past two years after successive general elections failed to lead to government formation.
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Mr Netanyahu has repeatedly faced off against rival Benny Gantz of the centrist Blue and White alliance.
However, in early 2020 after the third election, the two agreed to a unity government.
The new election is set to be held on March 23, 2021.
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