The new issue of Bayan contains two very interesting articles, written by Shahin A. Sarsour and Rani Hassan, analyzing the latest developments in Arab society in Israel at the beginning of an election year.
Between instrumental unity and cumulative political learning: The formation of the Joint List ahead of the elections for the 26th Knesset in comparison with unification attempts during the period 2015–21
The Joint List is one of the most important and most exceptional phenomena to have emerged in the Israeli political arena over the past decade. The unification of Arab parties with different—and at times even conflicting—ideological identities into a single parliamentary framework raised expectations of a change in the character of political representation of Arab citizens in Israel, as well as of a strengthening of their political power at the national level. However, from the very beginning it became clear that the Joint List was not merely a technical electoral solution, but a complex political arena in which historical, ideological, and organizational tensions converge.
Considerations of Arab voters in the upcoming elections for the 26th Knesset
The anticipated elections for the 26th Knesset, expected to take place this year, may become one of the defining events in Israeli politics, particularly for the Arab sector. The outcomes of the elections will largely determine its future and will serve as a guideline for developments to come. There is no doubt that the considerations of Arab voters in these elections will range from day‑to‑day economic issues to strategic national considerations, as well as concerns related to personal safety—just as is the case for every citizen of the country. In this article, I will present the options available to Arab voters and attempt to explain why their active participation is important for influencing Israeli politics at both the local and regional levels. First, we must answer a simple, almost trivial question: What matters to the contemporary Arab voter?
Bayan is a quarterly review of Arab society in Israel, published by the Konrad Adenauer Program for Jewish-Arab Cooperation at the Moshe Dayan Center for Middle Eastern and African Studies at Tel Aviv University. It is published in English and Hebrew.
The opinions expressed in MDC publications are those of the authors alone.
