Hundreds of Israelis have demonstrated to demand a new governing coalition that includes Arab parties and formally terminates outgoing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's rule, following an election outcome that yielded a combined anti-Netanyahu parliamentary majority.
Around 300 demonstrators rallied in the Jezreel Valley in northern Israel to call for Arab factions to be integrated into the incoming administration, Haaretz reported.
Concurrently, several hundred people assembled in Habima Square in central Tel Aviv with identical demands, according to The Times of Israel.
Protesters in Tel Aviv carried placards in Arabic and Hebrew reading, "67 seats. Let's take a new path," highlighting the collective seat count secured by factions opposed to Netanyahu across the 120-member Knesset, including the Arab Joint List and Ra'am.
Calls for partnership
"Without partnership, there is no peace," demonstrators chanted, demanding an end to "divide and rule" alongside calls for "freedom and equality for all."
Standing Together, a grassroots movement advocating Jewish-Arab political equality and partnership, participated actively in the demonstration.
Demonstrators also demanded the release of journalist Abd Abu Shahadeh, whom Israeli media reported was arrested on Wednesday on suspicion of contact with a foreign agent following a reporting trip to Doha to interview former Knesset member Azmi Bishara.
The rallies unfolded shortly before Israeli President Isaac Herzog announced he would task Yashar party leader Gadi Eisenkot with building the next administration, news outlet Ynet reported.
In the election, factions opposed to Netanyahu secured 67 seats—including 19 held across the two Arab Lists—whilst Netanyahu-aligned parties won 53.
However, most mainstream opposition leaders continue to resist relying on Arab factions.
Without them, the traditional opposition commands only 48 seats, well adrift of the 61-seat threshold required to govern.
