Bassem Jaber, director of the Arabic language media outlet PANET GROUP, is convinced that the Ra’am party may surprise the pollsters and pass the parliamentary threshold.
Jaber tells Arutz Sheva that "in the past, Ra’am ran separately and said that they would not pass the parliamentary threshold, but they passed it. I think it is too early to eulogize the united Arab list that the PM wanted. At the start of their campaign, they look very diligent and determined to pass the parliamentary threshold."
He said, "No one in the public can determine what the division will be between the unified Arab list of Ra'am and the joint one. In my opinion, the public does not yet differentiate enough between the parties and many still think that the joint list includes all the Arab parties. The old list is strong and in any case the question is about the unified list. The interest of the Arab sector should be that the two lists pass and thus the representatives of the public will have more influence in the country. "
Jaber explains that in the Arab public a kind of change of mind was made to increase the influence. "In Arab society in recent years we want to be influential and in matters. Until now they were not too influential, but that may change after these elections. After all, what do the parties want? Two main things: that the state and government fight violence and crime in Arab society and at the same time integrate and feel like they belong. The jJoint List does not say it does not want to go with the center, and the united list does not rule out its support for a particular government."
In his opinion, the Arab lists will face difficult dilemmas in the current election campaign. "Two days ago, the editor-in-chief of PANET GROUP interviewed the Prime Minister and he told her things that the people of Arab-Israeli society can live with. What is the problem with the Arab parties? No matter what the election results are, most of the candidates are right-wing. Gideon Saar and Naftali Bennett. Only Lapid is a viable candidate from the center-left. Therefore, even those who are elected in the Arab sector will have to choose between right and right. In my opinion, even if Gideon Saar gets a lot of votes and is suitable according to part of Israeli society, he could realistically form a government. "
"The Arab sector is in a huge conflict here. On the one hand it wants to be represented in the future coalition and on the other hand it is very likely that even if Gideon Saar forms a government he will need Naftali Bennett and others. Yair Lapid cannot form a left-wing government alone."
To the question of whether the prime minister is valued among the Arab public, he answers, "The Arab sector treats the prime minister as his record requires - iin a positive way, with some faults. Recent polls indiate that he needs them. In my opinion, this situation helps the Arab sector."
"The prime minister says he does not discriminate between Arabs and Jews and wants to help the public but not the united list. He needs to understand that the united list is a legitimate body and runs in elections as a representative of the public," Jaber concludes.