Why the first Jewish-Arab coalition failed

 

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.

Political correspondent Ariela Karmel joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.

Yashar leader Gadi Eisenkot vowed Saturday to swiftly utilize the new Knesset’s parliamentary majority, declaring that Israelis had voted decisively against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government in last week’s election.

Anti-Netanyahu parties won 67 of the 120 Knesset seats, but of those, Zionist anti-Netanyahu parties won only 48, with the other 19 going to two Arab parties. Karmel explains how Eisenkot will likely get the first shot at forming a government and how, from the Knesset's swearing-in on November 11, he vows to push forward his legislative aims -- regardless of the governing coalition.

Around 2,000 people demonstrated on Saturday evening in support of a Jewish-Arab government in Tel Aviv. Borschel-Dan and Karmel discuss the obstacles to a possible coexistence coalition, which would be Israel's second. Borschel-Dan points to the June 2022 legal gridlock over the continuation of the West Bank emergency regulations that led Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid to dissolve that short-lived government.

Check out The Times of Israel’s ongoing liveblog for more updates.

For further reading:

Eisenkot vows to swiftly utilize Knesset majority ‘against Oct. 7 government’

Some 2,000 rally in Tel Aviv to demand Jewish-Arab government; counterprotesters rail at ‘stolen’ election

Senior Arab MK says Joint List ready to back anti-Netanyahu government from outside

Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Ari Schlacht.