Diplomat calls Israeli coalition refusal reckless

Former Israeli diplomat Alon Pinkas described the opposition’s reluctance to partner with Arab-led parties as myopic and reckless. His comments come as political observers question how the new government will be formed after these parties posted strong results in the recent election.

Pinkas, who advised former prime ministers Ehud Barak and Shimon Peres, told NPR’s Morning Edition that opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot has two viable paths. Eisenkot could form a direct coalition with the Arab-led parties or establish a minority government with their outside support. This second option would allow them to back major legislation and confidence votes without formally joining the cabinet.

Both Eisenkot and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have previously rejected working with these parties, which draw support primarily from Palestinian citizens of Israel. Netanyahu called the prospect of a government relying on their support a shame and a disgrace.

Pinkas challenged the argument that relying on Arab-led parties would undermine Israel’s identity as a Jewish state. He noted that ultra-Orthodox Jewish parties, which often describe themselves as non-Zionist, are frequently included in coalitions without the same scrutiny.

The analyst attributed the growing support for Arab-led parties to rising crime and murder rates in Arab communities. He said Netanyahu’s government willfully ignored these issues by failing to deploy police or investigate killings involving organized crime groups. Pinkas concluded that Netanyahu cannot form a government.

The interview was conducted by NPR reporter Steve Inskeep and edited by Treye Green.