Key facts
- Hadash, Balad, and Ta’al will run together in upcoming Israeli parliamentary elections.
- The alliance aims to counter threats and defend the interests of Palestinian citizens of Israel.
- The Joint List historically aimed to increase Palestinian representation in the Knesset.
- Ra’am will run independently, not joining the revived Joint List.
- Polls suggest the three-party alliance could secure eight seats in the Knesset.
Three Palestinian-led parties in Israel—Hadash, Balad, and Ta’al—announced on Wednesday they will run on a joint slate in the upcoming parliamentary elections. The alliance, a revival of the historical Joint List, is intended to counter what the parties describe as "fascist and racist" threats and rising violence facing Palestinian citizens of Israel. The parties stated their goal is to "defend our dignity, place the interests of our people and our national principles at the centre, and turn the will of our constituencies into a political force capable of bringing down the fascist right-wing government."
The Joint List was initially formed in 2015 following a legislative change that increased the electoral threshold to 3.25 percent, a move seen as an attempt to marginalize Palestinian parties. The original list included Hadash, Balad, Ta’al, and the United Arab List (Ra’am). Internal disputes led to the alliance fracturing in 2019 and again in 2022.
Recent months have seen increased pressure on these parties to reunite, particularly in light of the conflict in Gaza and a surge in violent crime within Palestinian communities in Israel. A significant strike and protests against gun violence in January reportedly pushed leaders of the four parties to pledge to revive the Joint List. However, Ra’am, led by Mansour Abbas, announced in June that it would not join the alliance and plans to run independently, with talks underway to include Yoav Segalovich, a former police commander, on its list.
With Israeli parliamentary elections scheduled for October 27, the role of Palestinian parties in the Knesset has become increasingly significant. The Joint List achieved its strongest showing in 2020, securing 15 seats and becoming the third-largest bloc. Current polls indicate that the three-party alliance could win eight seats, while Ra’am might secure an additional six. The fragmented nature of competing political blocs means Palestinian parties could potentially hold a kingmaker position, although both Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot have stated they do not intend to partner with them post-election.