According to Hadash party leader MK Mohammed Barakeh, the Arab parties are not likely to reach agreement to run under a combined ticket in the elections for the 20th Knesset.
Barakeh was interviewed on Israel Radio on Sunday, 27 Teves, and when asked what prompted his decision at this time, he explained “One must know when it is time to step down and permit others to take over”. The 59-year-old Arab lawmaker has been in Knesset since 1999. He adds that he will remain the head of Hadash, which he admits is more of a symbolic post since he will not be in Knesset.
Barakeh made the announcement at a party assembly, leading to turmoil. He explained Arab party leaders simply cannot reach agreement on a number of key issues. Barakeh will be replaced by attorney Eiman Uda, a Haifa resident who has been director-general of Hadash over recent years.
Arab lawmakers, representing three parties, announced on Sunday that it appears likely that they will run as two lists, not three. The Israel Islamic Association and Balad (National Democratic Assembly) will appoint one while the second list will be headed by Dr. Ahmed Tibi of the Ra’am-Ta’al party. It appears that Jewish Hadash party member MK Dov Hanin will be moving to Tibi’s list.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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2 Responses
I don’t know Mr. Barakeh, and I’m certainly not a supporter of Hadash. But I do know Ayman Odeh (the way he spells it). I’ve had many conversations with him and, although he is a very nice person, we disagree on almost everything. However, he gets along with the charedim, and supports the charedi parties.
If there has to be Arabs in the Knesset, he’s one I don’t mind seeing there.
The three Arab parties consist of the Communists (who are really a left wing Israeli party not an Arab party), a secular nationalist party (similar to the Nasser/Hussein/Assad type of nationalism), and a moderate Islamic party. They are as ideologically different as, by analogy Meretz, Degel ha-Torah and Yisrael Beiteinu.
If you consider the “life or death” issue for Eretz Yisrael to be holding on to the West Bank, the last thing you want is Arabs in the government. If you consider the “life or death” issue to be blocking the plan to conscript yeshiva students and punish those who refuse (and close down their yeshivos), the stronger the Arabs are in the Kenesset the better since they also don’t want to be conscripted (and a government of the Israeli left, the three Arab parties, and the Hareidi becomes a possible alternative to an anti-hareidi nationalist government).