The Arab Balad party and the southern branch of the Islamic Movement, a major part of the Ra’am Ta’al party, have agreed to cooperate on issues involving Israel’s Arab population. The groups agreed to work together on “the large national issues, and the day-to-day matters stemming from them, that stand before society and before our Palestinian people.” The groups also agreed on the importance of preventing support for Zionist parties within Israeli Arab society.

Members of Ra’am Ta’al suggested that they and Balad join forces prior to the most recent Knesset elections, but former Balad head MK Azmi Bishara preferred to run separately. Balad is a secular party, and Bishara reportedly feared that joining forces with the Islamic Movement would drive away Christian voters. Members of Ra’am Ta’al have expressed concern that the number of mandates needed to enter the Knesset will be increased, hurting Arab parties, none of which have more than four seats.