Thousands Rally in Tel Aviv: Opposition Urged to Forge Arab Deal to Oust Netanyahu

Thousands of demonstrators gathered in Tel Aviv, urging the Israeli opposition to consider a coalition with Arab parties as a means to remove Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from power. Protesters at a rally on Habima Square on October 31, 2026, expressed their belief that this moment represents a potential "last chance for real change." They characterized Netanyahu, Israel's longest-serving prime minister, as a "great manipulator." While main opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot has previously stated his unwillingness to form a coalition with Israel’s Arab parties, the electoral deadlock following Tuesday's general elections presents a scenario where such a partnership could enable him to form a government. Al Jazeera correspondent Nour Odeh reported from Ramallah that the public strongly desires the outcome of the vote for change to materialize and expects Gadi Eisenkot and other leaders of Jewish-Israeli parties to heed their calls. The demonstrations also saw counter-protesters, with supporters of Netanyahu vocalizing demands that "Israel should not have a government with so-called terrorists." Netanyahu's bloc secured 53 seats in the recent elections, while Eisenkot's bloc obtained 48 seats. Neither faction can independently form a government in Israel's 120-seat parliament. Israel's three Arab-led parties achieved significant gains, winning 19 seats. Approximately 840,000 voters supported Ra’am and the Joint List, a coalition of three Arab-led parties, marking a 64 percent increase compared to the 2022 elections, according to the Central Election Committee. A coalition with Eisenkot, bolstered by the Arab electoral success, would command a majority of 67 seats. However, the prospect of aligning with Arab parties remains politically challenging for many in Israel. Prime Minister Netanyahu has alleged that Palestinian-Israeli parties engaged in electoral fraud, with funding from Qatar, an accusation Qatar has denied, labeling it a disinformation campaign. Odeh noted that right-wing Israeli circles have described the substantial turnout of Palestinian Israelis as "electoral terrorism," drawing parallels to the October 7th attack. She further stated that "Palestinian-Israeli votes and voices" are currently under threat due to their pivotal role in determining Eisenkot's ability to form a government.