Israel’s left to pay price for ignoring Arab voters
The merger between Labor-Gesher and Meretz created a new list that doesn't include even a single Arab candidate for the March Knesset elections.
“Forever pure” — that was the banner raised by Beitar Jerusalem soccer club fans in 2013, following the announcement of then-owner Arcadi Gaydamak of his intent to bring two Muslim players into the group. Seven years have passed since and it seems that the banner has turned into the unacknowledged election slogan of Israel’s non-Arab parties, who submitted their lists Jan. 14-15 for the 23rd Knesset.
Yet even the Blue and White party — which hopes to replace the Likud ruling — did not include a single Muslim Arab or Christian candidate on their Knesset list. Neither did they include an Arab candidate in the last two election campaigns of April and September 2019.
Even the newly established Labor-Gesher-Meretz alliance, the united left list, pushed former Knesset member Esawi Frej to the 11th place on its Knesset list, which is an unrealistic spot according to recent polls. This is how the political left throws away all its calls for Jewish-Arab partnership, despite numerous past statements of its members, such as Meretz Chairman Nitzan Horowitz and former Merez Chairwoman Tamar Zandberg.
