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Arab Israeli parties draft secret plan to replace Netanyahu as PM, force Israel into political crisis

 

After Arab Israeli lawmakers reach deal for united Knesset list, MK Ahmed Tibi hints at plan to unseat Netanyahu as PM before forcing new elections.

By World Israel News Staff

Arab Israeli lawmakers are mulling a secret plan aimed at removing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from office, replacing him with a member of the “change bloc” such as former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, Ma’ariv reported on Tuesday.

Last month, the leaders of the four largest Arab factions – the United Arab List, Hadash, Ta’al, and Balad – agreed to run on a joint ticket in this year’s Knesset election, reviving the united Joint List, which ran in the 2015, September 2019, and 2020 elections, expanding Arab representation in the Knesset.

Polls suggest the reconstituted Joint List could win between 13 and 15 seats, up from the 10 seats currently held jointly by the UAL and Hadash-Ta’al. Balad did not win representation in the last election.

In an interview Monday with Yedioth Ahronoth, MK Ahmed Tibi, head of the Ta’al faction, predicted that the Joint List will win 15 to 16 seats this year, adding that the Arab bloc will help remove Netanyahu from power during an interim period.

“Netanyahu is counting on there being a caretaker prime minister,” Tibi said. “In my estimation, Netanyahu will not be a caretaker prime minister. After we get 15–16 mandates, things will unfold in a parliamentary way. There will be a few moves we haven’t done in the past.”

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According to the Ma’ariv report, Tibi’s cryptic reference to a caretaker government and novel steps by the Arab bloc refer to a secret plan under consideration by Arab faction leaders to remove Netanyahu from the premiership, while also forcing yet another round of elections, restarting the political crisis which wracked Israel from 2019 through 2022.

During that period, five parliamentary elections were held, the first four of which either ended indecisively, with no candidate for the premiership able to form a government, or with short-lived, unstable governments established.

Under the plan mulled for this upcoming election, the expanded Joint List would throw its support behind Netanyahu’s opponents, led by former Prime Minister Bennett, enabling the Opposition to form the next government.

However, once the new government is seated and Netanyahu removed from office, the Joint List will withdraw its support and topple the government, forcing a snap election.

During the interim period after this year’s election and the next, likely to be held at the end of 2026 or early 2027, the “change bloc” would remain in power.