Coalition math: Former diplomat says opposition must court Arab parties

The recent election results in Israel have shifted the balance of power, forcing opposition leaders to confront the strength of Arab-led parties. Alon Pinkas, a political analyst and former diplomat who served as an advisor to former Prime Ministers Ehud Barak and Shimon Peres, stated that the reluctance of these leaders to partner with such groups is myopic and reckless.

Pinkas spoke to NPR's Morning Edition host Steve Inskeep to outline what he views as the only two workable options for opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot. The first option involves forming a formal coalition with the Arab-led parties. The second allows Eisenkot to create a minority government that secures outside support from these parties. Under this arrangement, they would back major legislation and confidence votes without holding formal cabinet seats.

Both Eisenkot and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have publicly rejected the idea of relying on Arab-led parties. These parties draw significant support from Palestinian citizens of Israel. Netanyahu went further in his critique, describing the prospect of a government supported by these groups as a shame and a disgrace.

Pinkas pushed back against the argument that such alliances would weaken Israel's status as a Jewish state. He asked why the same logic does not apply to ultra-Orthodox Jewish parties, noting that they describe themselves as non-Zionist. He pointed to rising crime and murder rates in Arab communities, specifically violence involving organized crime groups, to explain the surge in support for these parties.

He accused the current government of willfully ignoring the plight of these communities by failing to deploy police or investigate the killings. When asked about the current Prime Minister's ability to build a stable government, Pinkas was blunt in his assessment.

Mr. Netanyahu cannot form a government, Pinkas said, repeating the word to emphasize his certainty that the current administration lacks the necessary support to govern effectively.