On a Saturday in Tel Aviv, thousands gathered to ask that a long-standing divide be bridged: that Israel's opposition join with the country's Arab parties to end Benjamin Netanyahu's tenure. The gathering followed an election that left the nation without a clear path, with neither the Netanyahu bloc nor the rival alliance led by Gadi Eisenkot holding enough seats to govern alone. Arab-led parties now hold the balance of power, a shift that stirs hope among some and fierce resistance among others. Whether a country long shaped by mistrust across its communities can find a shared majority remain
Thousands in Tel Aviv Urge Jewish-Arab Coalition to Oust Netanyahu After Deadlocked Vote
Neither side can form a government alone; 19 Arab-party seats hold the balance
Mark
Why does this rally matter if the election already happened?
Mimi
Because the result didn't produce a government. Netanyahu's bloc has 53 seats, Eisenkot's has 48, and neither reaches a majority in the 120-seat parliament. The protesters are trying to push the opposition toward the one path that works.
Mark
And that path runs through the Arab parties?
Mimi
Yes. They won 19 seats. Add those to Eisenkot's 48 and you get 67.
Luke
But Eisenkot has ruled this out before. Do we know he's reconsidering?
Mimi
No. The reporting only says he previously excluded it and that the deadlock changes his options.
Mark
What about the turnout numbers?
Mimi
Nearly 840,000 votes for Ra'am and the Joint List, a 64 percent rise from 2022, per the Central Election Committee.
Luke
That figure is solid, since it comes from the election body. The claims about Qatari funding are different. Netanyahu alleges it, Qatar denies it, and nothing here shows evidence either way.
Mark
How is the right framing the Arab vote?
Luke
Through Nour Odeh's account, some right-wing circles call it "electoral terrorism." That is her characterization of those circles, not a survey of them, and the counter-protesters' chants are what she saw on the day.
Mimi
Which is why the open question is Eisenkot. Everything else is pressure on him.
El Pulso
- Neither major bloc can govern alone, leaving Israel's parliament in a stalemate that demands a decision.
- Arab-led parties, with nearly 840,000 votes and a 64 percent surge, now sit at the center of every possible majority.
- Protesters in Tel Aviv press Eisenkot to abandon his earlier refusal, while counter-demonstrators shout against any government with 'terrorists.'
- Netanyahu accuses Palestinian-Israeli parties of 'stealing' the vote, and Qatar denies the funding claims, sharpening the tension.
- Everything hinges on whether Eisenkot reverses course, which would produce a 67-seat majority, or the deadlock hardens.
On a Saturday in Tel Aviv, thousands gathered to ask that a long-standing divide be bridged: that Israel's opposition join with the country's Arab parties to end Benjamin Netanyahu's tenure. The gathering followed an election that left the nation without a clear path, with neither the Netanyahu bloc nor the rival alliance led by Gadi Eisenkot holding enough seats to govern alone. Arab-led parties now hold the balance of power, a shift that stirs hope among some and fierce resistance among others. Whether a country long shaped by mistrust across its communities can find a shared majority remains an open question.
On Saturday, October 31, thousands filled the streets of Tel Aviv with a single plea: that Israel's opposition strike a deal with the country's Arab parties and bring down Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. One demonstrator came dressed as Donald Trump, carrying a puppet of Netanyahu, while others called the moment possibly the "last chance for real change." They described Netanyahu, the country's longest-serving prime minister, as a "great manipulator."
The rally came after an election on Tuesday that solved nothing. Netanyahu's bloc took 53 seats and Eisenkot's took 48, and in a 120-seat parliament neither can govern alone. That places Israel's Arab-led parties in the decisive position, having won 19 seats and nearly 840,000 votes, a 64 percent rise from 2022. A partnership between Eisenkot and them would yield a comfortable 67-seat majority.
The obstacle is Eisenkot's earlier rejection of any such alliance, and the discomfort many Israelis still feel about it. Counter-protesters shouted that the country should not be governed by "so-called terrorists," while Netanyahu has claimed the Palestinian-Israeli parties "stole" the election with Qatari money, an accusation Qatar calls disinformation. Analysts note that the historic turnout of Palestinian Israelis is now being attacked precisely because it matters so much.
For now, the question is whether Eisenkot will change his position. If he does, the numbers open a path; if not, the deadlock holds.
On Saturday, October 31, thousands of people gathered in Tel Aviv with a single demand: that Israel's opposition strike a deal with the country's Arab parties and bring down Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. One demonstrator showed up dressed as US President Donald Trump, holding a puppet meant to represent Netanyahu, in a protest calling for a Jewish-Arab coalition government after the general election.
Speaking to the AFP news agency, protesters described the moment as possibly the "last chance for real change." They called Netanyahu, Israel's longest-serving prime minister, a "great manipulator."
The rally follows an election on Tuesday that settled nothing. Netanyahu's bloc won 53 seats. The bloc led by Gadi Eisenkot, the main opposition leader, won 48. In a 120-seat parliament, neither side can form a government on its own.
That leaves Israel's three Arab-led parties holding the balance. They won 19 seats after significant gains. According to the Central Election Committee, nearly 840,000 people voted for Ra'am and the Joint List, a coalition of three Arab-led parties. That is a 64 percent increase from the previous election in 2022. A coalition between Eisenkot's bloc and the Arab parties would produce a comfortable majority of 67 seats.
The obstacle is that Eisenkot has previously ruled out forming a coalition with Israel's Arab parties, and for many in Israel, siding with Arab parties remains politically unpalatable. Al Jazeera correspondent Nour Odeh, reporting from Ramallah, said the protesters want that to change. "People really want this vote for change to work out," she said, adding that they believe Eisenkot and other leaders of the Jewish-Israeli parties need to listen to their voice.
Counter-protesters also turned up on Saturday. Netanyahu supporters were seen shouting that "Israel should not have a government with so-called terrorists," Odeh reported.
The prime minister himself has accused Palestinian-Israeli parties of "stealing" the election and of accepting funding from Qatar to do it. Qatar has rejected the allegations and called them a disinformation campaign.
Odeh said right-wing circles in Israel have described the historic turnout of Palestinian Israelis as "electoral terrorism," equating it to the October 7 attack, when Hamas-led fighters stormed southern Israel, killing more than 1,200 people and taking hundreds captive. She argued that Palestinian-Israeli votes and voices are under attack precisely because they hold a prominent position in deciding whether Eisenkot can form a government.
What to watch now is whether Eisenkot reverses his earlier position. If he does, the arithmetic gives him a 67-seat majority. If he does not, the deadlock stands.
Citas Notables
People really want this vote for change to work out, and they believe Gadi Eisenkot and other Jewish-Israeli party leaders need to listen to their voice.— Nour Odeh, Al Jazeera correspondent
Protesters said this may be the 'last chance for real change.'— Protesters, speaking to AFP
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