Israel Elections 2026: Joint candidate backs anti-Netanyahu bloc, backs Gadi Eisenkot to form government | What we know | Today’s news

Days after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his right-wing bloc failed to secure a majority in the Knesset, the Joint List, an alliance of mostly Arab political parties in Israel, said it was willing to help opposition parties form the next government.

According to The Times of Israel, senior Arab member of the Knesset (MK) Ahmad Tibi said on Saturday (local time) that his party is ready to support anti-Netanyahu Zionist parties to replace Netanyahu and his coalition, but added that he does not want to be part of the government.

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The joint list offers support for the anti-Netanyahu bloc

Tibi called on leading opposition candidate and Netanyahu rival Gadi Eisenkot to “be like (the late Prime Minister Yitzhak) Rabin,” saying Rabin was relying on the votes of Arab lawmakers to secure parliamentary approval of the Oslo accords with the PLO.

Tibi, whose Joint List, an alliance of three Arab factions, won 11 seats on Tuesday, said: “We want to help anyone who wants to overthrow this terrible government… and replace it with another government. We want to be part of the fix, part of the hope.”

He went on to say: “We will not be part of the government. I don’t want a ministerial post. I don’t want to be in the cabinet,” adding: “But there will be no change without the Arab parties.”

Support for the replacement of the Knesset speaker and the October 7 question

He suggested that the Joint List ask President Isaac Herzog to appoint a candidate from the anti-Netanyahu Zionist parties, presumably Eisenkot, to form a government.

The party would also support the removal of Likud’s Amir Ohan as Knesset speaker and the establishment of a state commission of inquiry into the Hamas-led attack on October 7, 2023, he said. The anti-Netanyahu bloc plans to prioritize both measures after the new Knesset takes office on November 10.

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Coalition negotiations run into differences regarding cooperation

In another interview, party chairman Yousef Jabareen said negotiations with most of the leaders of the opposition bloc had begun. He refused to describe Hamas as a terrorist organization, a condition Eisenkot set for potential coalition partners, and dismissed claims that Qatar interfered in the election to boost Arab participation.

Jewish-led opposition parties and Arab-led factions combined won 67 seats, enough for a majority in the 120-member Knesset. However, this numerical advantage depends on their willingness to cooperate.

Israeli elections 2026

Tuesday’s election saw the highest voter turnout in decades, with 77.9% of eligible voters casting a total of 5,716,665 ballots. The full official results are due to be presented to Herzog on November 4 after the Central Electoral Commission (CEC) concludes a final investigation into errors or complaints. Herzog then meets with each party leader as they recommend the person they believe should form the next government.

Netanyahu’s Likud secured 27 seats in the final tally, followed by Yashar with 21, B’Yachad with 12 and Joint List with 11. The Democrats and Ra’am won eight seats each, while Yisrael Beytenu, United Torah Judaism and Otzma Yehudit each won seven. Shasa and Religious Zionism secured six seats.

What will happen next in forming the government?

The new Knesset will be sworn in on November 10, although negotiations on the next government remain unresolved. The talks are expected to be difficult and could take more than two months, as no major bloc comes close to securing the 61 seats needed for a majority.

Herzog on Wednesday called on party leaders to try to prevent another election. “We have to do everything we can, certainly after yesterday, to avoid another round of elections. So I expect everyone who comes here to come with an open mind,” he said.