The leader of the Israeli opposition party “United List“ Youssef Jabarin said his party was ready to support an alternative government that would remove Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from power. He specified that the party would not participate in a coalition, but could provide support from outside.
“We don't see how we could participate in a coalition under the current circumstances“, Jabarin was quoted as saying by Agence France-Presse. According to him, the position is related to the war in Gaza and the situation in the occupied West Bank.
The leader of “United List“ cited the expansion of Israeli settlements and, in his words, almost daily violence by settlers as the main reasons for refusing to participate in a ruling coalition.
Support without participation in a coalition
However, Jabarin said that his party could help topple the current government. “To overthrow the current coalition, we could support an alternative government without becoming part of it“, he said.
The statement was made after the parliamentary elections in Israel with disputed results that did not lead to the formation of a clear majority. In such a configuration, the support of the Arab formation could prove important for the opposition's attempts to form a government without the “United List“ taking on a direct governing role.
“United List“ is a predominantly Arab formation that includes far-left and nationalist factions. Jabarin's position draws a distinction between participation in power and parliamentary support for the overthrow of Netanyahu.
Political negotiations are underway on the possible composition of the next Israeli government. Jabarin's statement makes it clear that possible support from the “United List“ will not automatically mean joining a ruling coalition.
Sources: bta.bg, ynetnews.com, timesofisrael.com