Middle East Monitor / January 18, 2021
Chairman of the Israeli Opposition and Yesh Atid party MK Yair Lapid announced on Saturday that he is ready to form a government supported by the Arab Joint List, RT reported.
Speaking to Israeli TV Channel 12, Lapid revealed that he was planning to add Arabs [Palestinians] to his party’s electoral ticket.
“It was a loss that we did not do it in the current Knesset,” he expressed. “I hope we reach good relations with the Joint List like Netanyahu’s relations with it.”
At the same time, Lapid said he was ready to ally with leader of the New Hope party Gideon Sa’ar, who defected from Netanyahu’s Likud party.
Following criticism for Netanyahu’s visits and meetings with Arabs, the Likud party confirmed that it is not planning to ally with representatives of the Arab Joint List.
Lieberman: ‘Arabs [Palestinians] cannot be partners in coalition government’
Yisrael Beiteinu party leader Avigdor Lieberman declared on Sunday that the Arab Joint List could not be partners in a government coalition, Al-Watan Voice reported.
According to Al-Watan Voice, Lieberman was speaking to Israeli radio station 103 FM as he stressed on the necessity not to support the Arab Joint List in the elections.
He also emphasised the importance of not making any alliance with the Arab Joint List under any circumstances.
“Unlike Netanyahu, who needs support from anyone in order to get more votes, I am saying: ‘The Joint List will not be partners with us.'”
This came following the meetings that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is holding with the Arabs and his visits to the Arab majority cities in Israel to gain their support in the elections.
Recently, Lieberman called for the formation of a coalition after the elections to form a new government to oust Netanyahu.
