Joint List faction chairman MK Ahmad Tibi presented a two-stage plan on Sunday evening to prevent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from remaining in power after the upcoming elections, proposing to support an alternative government from outside the coalition in exchange for commitments addressing the needs of Arab society.
In a statement to the media, Tibi outlined what he described as practical steps to remove the Netanyahu government and prevent the prime minister from continuing in office as head of a caretaker government if neither political bloc secures a majority.
The plan would allow the Joint List to provide a parliamentary safety net for an alternative government without joining the coalition or abandoning its political positions. Tibi also pledged to seek the removal of Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana during the first days of the next Knesset.
"I am a doctor," Tibi began with an analogy. "If you come to my clinic and I tell you that your illness is serious, that I cannot treat it, and only explain it to you very well, what would you do? It is the same in politics. It is not enough to talk and explain. We are not a news agency. We must offer solutions to change reality."
Tibi addressed the refusal of several opposition leaders, including Avigdor Liberman, Gadi Eisenkot, and Naftali Bennett, to include Arab parties in a governing coalition, arguing that their positions strengthened the Joint List's strategy of supporting a government from outside.
Liberman recently ruled out supporting a minority government, including one formed as a temporary arrangement, while insisting that any future coalition consist exclusively of Zionist parties.
Referring to recent polls, Tibi claimed that Netanyahu's right-wing bloc would win 54 seats, while the opposition would secure 51 to 52 seats, leaving neither with the 61 seats needed for a Knesset majority.
"This change is strategic and strengthens the Joint List's position as a decisive force in the elections," he said.
Tibi says Netanyahu's strategy is to prevent opposition from forming government
Tibi argued that Netanyahu understood he would be unable to form another government and would therefore seek to prevent the opposition from establishing one, allowing him to remain caretaker prime minister.
"Month after month, he will remain in his seat, Ben-Gvir will remain a minister, and Smotrich will remain a minister. We are capable of preventing this. We will not allow Netanyahu to be caretaker prime minister."
"The first step is to bring down this government, and the second step is to clear the way for an alternative, less bad government that will have to listen to our demands," Tibi said.
The proposal comes amid polling that has left both major political blocs short of a majority, potentially placing Arab parties in a position to influence the formation of the next government.
Tibi demands action on crime, home demolitions, Arab communities
Tibi said the Joint List would demand concrete commitments on issues affecting Arab citizens in exchange for parliamentary support.
Among his demands were a comprehensive plan to combat crime and violence in Arab society, a halt to home demolitions, particularly in the Negev, and the repeal of the Kaminitz Law, which strengthened enforcement against illegal construction.
He also called for action on eviction orders affecting communities in the Triangle region, including Tayibe, Tira, and Qalansawe, alongside the approval of master plans for Arab localities.
Tibi highlighted employment difficulties among Arab professionals, citing approximately 8,000 unemployed teachers and 4,000 doctors who, according to him, were either unemployed or unable to secure medical residencies.
Crime in Arab communities has become a central issue in the election campaign. The Israel Police announced a major crackdown in February, reporting the seizure of approximately 200 illegal weapons and the arrest of more than 200 suspects as part of an operation targeting criminal organizations.
Alongside these civilian demands, Tibi emphasized that the Joint List would continue advocating for a political horizon for the Palestinian people, even if it supported a government whose political positions it opposed.
"We know that the next government will not be a peace government, and we will not agree with its basic political guidelines. But we are choosing between the bad and the worse. We will find common ground that serves our society and the issues important to it, without giving up our fundamental principles."
He stressed that providing a parliamentary safety net would not obligate the Joint List to support every policy advanced by an alternative government.
According to Tibi, the party would not be required to vote in favor of settlements, accept the Nation-State Law, or remain silent over what he described as "genocide and expulsion," visits to the al-Aqsa Mosque compound, the Citizenship Law, or cuts to Arab local authorities' budgets.
Joint List plans to remove Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana
Tibi's most immediate proposal concerned Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana, whom he pledged to remove before a new government is formed.
"This time, we will not wait for a new government to be formed before we begin making changes," he declared.
Repeating a commitment made at the Joint List's recent campaign launch in Tel Aviv, Tibi said the party would cooperate with the opposition to replace Ohana.
"In the first days of the next Knesset, we will remove Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana, who has turned the Knesset into a Kahanist and racist arena against all of us. The Joint List will vote with the opposition's candidate, and there will be a majority to remove him."
Tibi said the Joint List would also seek to use the proposed parliamentary majority to advance legislation benefiting Arab society, including a law preventing an individual facing criminal charges from forming a government, a measure aimed at Netanyahu.
He added that the party would demand representation on the Knesset Finance Committee before a new coalition is established.
The revived Joint List brings together Hadash, Ta'al, and Balad, following negotiations aimed at consolidating Arab political representation ahead of the elections.
"Anyone who wants a safety net from us must first guarantee a safety net for you, for our society," Tibi concluded.
"In the 1990s, there was a blocking bloc. Today, the Joint List is offering a safety net in exchange for commitments. Anyone who wants our votes knows the way. A vote for the Joint List is the vote that will decide the elections."