“We will work to improve Arab turnout so the Joint List will be a force to be reckoned with in Israeli politics,” said Balad leader Mtanes Shehadeh.
By GIL HOFFMANThe heads of Hadash, Ta'al and Ra'am parties agree to create a joint Arab List, July 27, 2019 (photo credit: UNITED ARAB LIST)
The Balad Party’s central committee decided late on Sunday night to run together with three other Arab parties as the Joint List in the September 17 election.Hadash, Ta’al and the United Arab List reached an agreement to run together, and announced it at a press conference on Saturday at the Ramada Hotel in Nazareth.Balad called its own Nazareth press conference on Monday to declare its support for the list. “We will work to improve Arab turnout so the Joint List will be a force to be reckoned with in Israeli politics,” said Balad leader Mtanes Shehadeh. “We also want to help bring about an end to the conflict.”Shehadeh spoke at the event about the importance of unity in the face of the government’s “racism” against Arabs. He said the Likud was open about trying to get Balad and the United Arab List disqualified from running.Shehadeh also complained about other parties and candidates for believing that they could woo Arab votes away from their party. He questioned why Arabs would vote for former prime minister Ehud Barak, calling him “a criminal and a murderer.”In the April election, Hadash and Ta’al ran together, receiving six seats. United Arab List and Balad ran together, receiving four. In 2015, the four parties ran together as the Joint List and won 13.According to the new agreement, Hadash leader Ayman Odeh will head the list, followed by Shehadeh, Ta’al head Ahmed Tibi and United Arab List chairman Mansour Abbas. Hadash also received the fifth, seventh, 10th and 12th slots on the list. Balad received the eighth and 13th, and the United Arab List received the sixth and 11th. Besides Tibi, Ta’al representatives will be ninth and 14th on the list. Unlike in the past, there will be no rotations in the Knesset among MKs from different parties on the list. Tibi will be the chairman of the faction.Khaled Abu Toameh contributed to this report
