The leaders of the Joint List met on Thursday with ambassadors from European Union countries in Israel, shortly after the announcement that the Hadash-Ta'al and Balad parties would run together in the elections.
The meeting, held at the European Union offices in Tel Aviv, was attended by Joint Arab List chairman Yousef Jabareen, MK Ahmad Tibi, former MK Sami Abu Shehadeh, Joint Arab List candidate Jafar Farah, and MK Ofer Cassif.
According to a report by the Israeli-Arab news site Al-Jarmaq, the Joint List leaders presented to the ambassadors the importance they attach to the parties' unification, with the aim of increasing voter turnout in Arab society and expanding Arab representation in the Knesset.
During the meeting, Joint List representatives claimed that attempts to disqualify Arab candidates and parties constitute, in their view, a violation of the political and civil rights of Arab citizens of Israel. They also claimed that Israeli government policy contradicts the position of the international community and makes the possibility of reaching a diplomatic agreement more remote.
They also presented the ambassadors with what they described as the main challenges facing Arab society, including the rise in violence and crime, housing and land shortages, home demolitions, the lack of recognition of illegal villages in the Negev, and alleged funding shortages in development, education, industry, and social services.
At the conclusion of the meeting, the Joint List leaders called on European Union countries to increase their involvement vis-à-vis Israel. According to them, the EU has a significant role to play in confronting what they described as "policies of racism and extremism," protecting democratic values and human rights, and advancing efforts to achieve a diplomatic agreement.