Arab Coalition Backs Netanyahu Opponent: Al Jazeera

For more than 25 years, Israel’s leading Arab political parties declined to endorse candidates for the prime minister post. This time they endorsed Benny Gantz, a move that could end the lock on power by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. “Gantz's centrist Blue and White party won the most seats in the September 17 election with 33 out of parliament's 120 seats, while Netanyahu's Likud finished second with 31,” reports Al Jazeera. “Meanwhile, the Joint List coalition won 13 seats, making it the third largest grouping. It was the first time that majority Arab parties had endorsed a candidate for prime minister since 1992, when they backed Yitzhak Rabin, who went on to sign the Oslo Accords, agreements aimed at fulfilling the right to self-determination for Palestinians.” The Arab parties and Gantz’s party may not work on policies together, and President Reuven Rivlin strives to avoid a third election this year, urging Gantz and Netanyahu to form a unity government and continue policies that contain Iran and Palestinians. – YaleGlobal