Joint List

File:Ayman_Odeh_and_Shady_Halilya.jpg (right) and Shady Haliya]]

File:פעילים של הרשימה המשותפת.jpg ]]

The Joint List was formed in the build-up to the 2015 elections as an alliance of Balad, Hadash, Ta'al, and the United Arab List (also known by its Hebrew abbreviation Ra'am). The northern branch of the Islamic Movement denounced the entire electoral project.{{cite news |author=Christa Case Bryant |url=http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Middle-East/2015/0311/Israel-elections-101-On-eve-of-vote-momentum-on-Arab-street-video |title=Israel elections 101: On eve of vote, momentum on Arab street (+video) |newspaper=The Christian Science Monitor |date=11 March 2015 |access-date=14 June 2015}} When formed, the alliance was temporarily known as Wamab.{{Cite news|title=Israel election updates / Likud: Livni wrong on Congress' Iran sanctions|url=https://www.haaretz.com/likud-livni-wrong-on-congress-iran-sanctions-1.5365742|access-date=4 July 2020|newspaper=Haaretz|language=en}}

The agreement between the parties was signed on 22 January,{{cite news |author=Lazar Berman |url=http://www.timesofisrael.com/arab-parties-and-hadash-finalize-unity-deal/ |title=Arab parties finalize unity deal |newspaper=The Times of Israel |date=22 January 2015 |access-date=14 June 2015}} marking the first time the major Arab parties had run as a single list.{{cite news |url=http://www.timesofisrael.com/as-arab-mks-unite-a-new-political-landscape-emerges/ |title=As Arab MKs unite, a new political landscape emerges |work=Times of Israel |date=28 January 2015 |last1=Hazboun |first1=Areej |last2=Estrin |first2=Daniel |access-date=14 June 2015}} Balad, Hadash, and the United Arab List had run separately for elections since the 1990s (Balad and Hadash ran together in 1996), whilst Ta'al had run in alliance with all three during the 1990s and 2000s. However, the raising of the electoral threshold from 2% to 3.25% led to the parties creating an alliance to increase their chances of crossing the threshold, as both Hadash and Balad received less than 3% of the vote in the 2013 elections. Initially, the parties mulled running as two blocs (Hadash with Ta'al, and Balad with the Islamic Movement), but party representatives said pressure from the Arab public pushed them to join forces.{{cite news |url=http://www.timesofisrael.com/after-uniting-arabs-behind-him-ayman-odeh-looks-to-lead-opposition/ |title=After uniting Arabs behind him, Ayman Odeh looks to lead opposition |author=Elhanan Miller |date=4 March 2015 |access-date=14 June 2015}}{{cite news |url=http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4631781,00.html |title=With united front, Israeli Arab parties seek more clout |agency=AFP |publisher=Ynetnews |date=2 March 2015 |access-date=14 June 2015}}

The alliance's list for the 2015 elections was headed by Ayman Odeh, the newly-elected leader of Hadash, followed by Masud Ghnaim (United Arab List), Jamal Zahalka (Balad), and Ahmad Tibi (Ta'al), with the following places alternating between Hadash, the Islamic Movement, and Balad. The 12th to 14th places were subject to rotation agreements between the parties.{{cite news |author=Hassan Shaalan |url=http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4618281,00.html |title=Arab parties to run as one list in upcoming elections |publisher=Ynetnews |date=22 January 2015 |access-date=14 June 2015}}

Before the April 2019 election, Ta'al left the alliance, which led to the formation of two lists, Balad–Ra'am and Hadash–Ta'al.

On 22 September 2019, following the September 2019 election, Odeh and the Joint List endorsed Benny Gantz for prime minister, the first time that an Arab party endorsed anyone for prime minister since Yitzhak Rabin in 1992.{{Cite web|url=https://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Gantz-on-verge-of-getting-more-recommendations-602441|title=Joint List endorses Gantz without Balad, giving Netanyahu majority|work=The Jerusalem Post|author1=Gil Hoffman|author2=Lahav Harkov|date=22 September 2019|access-date=22 September 2019}} However, Israeli President Reuven Rivlin announced on 23 September that the Joint List's three Balad MKs had abstained from endorsing a candidate, thus putting Gantz behind incumbent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in total MK recommendations, though the Joint List's endorsement of Gantz did account for 10 of the political bloc's 13 MKs.{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/sep/23/israel-boost-for-netanyahu-as-three-arab-politicians-refuse-to-back-rival|title=Boost for Netanyahu as three Arab politicians refuse to back rival|first=Oliver|last=Holmes|work=The Guardian|date=23 September 2019|access-date=23 September 2019}} After the 2020 election, the Joint List unanimously supported Gantz.{{cite web |url=https://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/President-Rivlin-consults-with-party-leaders-amid-coronavirus-crisis-621015 |title=Joint List endorses Gantz to form government |work=The Jerusalem Post |author=Gil Hoffman |date=15 March 2020 |access-date=15 March 2020}} However, after the formation of a unity government, it remained in the opposition.

After new elections were pending, tensions arose in the alliance, whereupon Ra'am and Ta'al left the joint list (the latter rejoined this shortly afterwards).{{cite web |url=https://www.mako.co.il/news-politics/2021_q1/Article-ab91438bc276771026.htm?sCh=31750a2610f26110&pId=173113802 |title=הרשימה המשותפת מתפרקת: רע"מ תרוץ לבד בבחירות הקרובות|work=News 12 |date=3 February 2021 |access-date=3 February 2021 |author=Amit Segal}} During the election campaign and after party lists had been submitted, the Ma'an party withdrew its candidacy and endorsed the Joint List, becoming a new member of the alliance.{{cite news |author=Gil Hoffman|url=https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/moderate-arab-party-quits-election-662198|title=Moderate Arab party quits election|newspaper=The Jerusalem Post|date=16 March 2021 |access-date=16 March 2021}}

The list was ideologically diverse, and included communists, socialists, feminists, Islamists, and Arab nationalists.{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/24/world/middleeast/israeli-arab-political-parties-form-single-ticket-for-elections.html |title=Diverse Israeli Arab Political Factions Join Forces to Keep Place in Parliament |author=Jodi Rudoren |newspaper=The New York Times |date=24 January 2015 |page=A4 |access-date=14 June 2015}}{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/israels-sparring-arab-political-parties-have-united-for-the-first-time/2015/03/09/6f6c021a-c660-11e4-bea5-b893e7ac3fb3_story.html |title=Israel's Arab political parties have united for the first time |author=Ruth Eglash |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=10 March 2015 |access-date=14 June 2015}} After having united parties with various political agendas, Odeh met with Jewish Hadash activists and former Knesset speaker Avraham Burg (who had endorsed Hadash), in an attempt to allay concerns that the new alliance would dilute the party's principles, such as gender equality.{{cite news |url=https://apnews.com/ce22348cf04a4265b63609e1cbe5068b |title=Rise of pragmatic Arab politician shakes up Israeli politics |author=Karin Laub |publisher=Associated Press |date=4 March 2015 |access-date=14 June 2015}}

The alliance's 2015 election campaign focused on preventing Benjamin Netanyahu from forming a government and helping the Labor Party–led Zionist Union do so instead.{{cite news |author=Jodi Rudoren |author2=Diaa Hadid |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/20/world/middleeast/arab-alliance-in-israeli-legislature-sees-unity-as-vehicle-for-progress.html |title=Arab Alliance in Israeli Legislature Sees Unity as Vehicle for Progress |newspaper=The New York Times |date=19 March 2015 |access-date=14 June 2015}}

The Joint List was not united in terms of support for Jewish–Arab co-operation, supported mainly by Hadash. In March 2015 (after the Zionist Union had signed a vote-sharing agreement with Meretz, and Kulanu with Israel Beytenu), officials from the Zionist Union, Meretz, and Yesh Atid explored the idea that the Zionist Union and Meretz revoke their agreement so that the Zionist Union could share surplus votes with Yesh Atid, and Meretz with the Joint List, to potentially strengthen the dovish bloc in the Knesset.{{cite news |url=http://www.haaretz.com/news/israel-election-2015/.premium-1.645439 |title=Zionist Union, Meretz may revoke their surplus-vote accord and sign with other parties |author=Ilan Lior |newspaper=Haaretz |date=5 March 2015 |access-date=14 June 2015}} However, the offer caused intra-list tension; Hadash (including Dov Khenin and Joint List chief Odeh) and the United Arab List supported the partnership with Meretz, but the Islamic Movement and especially Balad opposed it.{{cite news |url=http://www.israelhayom.com/site/newsletter_article.php?id=24131 |title='Meretz won't be in any coalition with Yisrael Beytenu' |author=Gideon Allon |newspaper=Israel Hayom |date=13 March 2015 |access-date=14 June 2015}}{{cite news |url=http://www.jpost.com/Israel-Elections/Zoabi-denies-Post-report-she-is-willing-to-recommend-Herzog-from-government-393655 |title=Zoabi denies 'Post' report she is willing to recommend Herzog form government |author=Ariel Ben Solomon |newspaper=The Jerusalem Post |date=12 March 2015 |access-date=14 June 2015}}{{cite news |url=http://www.haaretz.com/news/national/.premium-1.645873 |title=The left is not doing Israeli Arabs any favors |author=Jack Khoury |newspaper=Haaretz |date=8 March 2015 |access-date=14 June 2015}} According to Nahum Barnea, most of the List, including Jamal Zahalka of Balad, supported the agreement, but Qatar, which reportedly funds Balad, sided with the extremist elements within Balad and had the party come out against it.{{cite news|url=http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4636712,00.html |title=Netanyahu, tragic hero of 2015 elections |author=Nahum Barnea |author-link=Nahum Barnea |publisher=Ynetnews |date=13 March 2015}} After the Joint List announced it would not share votes with any party, Meretz officials declared that the List had chosen nationalism and separatism over Jewish–Arab solidarity.{{cite news|url=http://www.haaretz.com/news/israel-election-2015/.premium-1.645931 |title=Meretz slams Arab Joint List over failed votes accord |author=Yarden Skop |newspaper=Haaretz |date=9 March 2015 |access-date=14 June 2015}} A post-election analysis showed that no agreement between these left-of-center parties would have made a difference to the final result.{{cite news |author=Ilan Lior |url=http://www.haaretz.com/news/israel-election-2015/.premium-1.647994 |title=Ire over left-wing parties' surplus vote fiasco was all for nothing |newspaper=Haaretz |date=20 March 2015 |access-date=14 June 2015|quote=}}

{{Main|2015 Israeli legislative election}}

File:Joint List logo.pngThe party logos in 2015.]]

File:Reuven_Rivlin_opened_the_consultations_after_the_2015_elections_with_the_HaReshima_HaMeshutefet_(1).jpg at President Reuven Rivlin's official residence, after the 2015 elections ]]

The Joint List won 13 seats in the 2015 Knesset elections with 10.6% of the total vote, becoming the third-largest party in the 20th Knesset.{{cite web |url=http://www.votes20.gov.il/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150318200737/http://www.votes20.gov.il/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=18 March 2015 |title=תוצאות האמת של הבחירות לכנסת ה-20 |publisher=Central Election Commission |language=he |trans-title=Actual results of the 20th Knesset elections |access-date=19 March 2015}} Odeh stated that he intended for the alliance to work on shared issues with center-left Jewish opposition parties and seek membership of key parliamentary committees.{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2015/03/20/world/middleeast/ap-ml-israel-arabs.html |title=Israeli Arabs say they feel more excluded after election |agency=Associated Press |date=20 March 2015 |access-date=14 June 2015}}

One of the party's first actions after the elections was to trade the two seats that, as the third-largest faction, it was entitled to on the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee for two more seats on the Finance Committee, primarily to better address its constituents' financial and housing concerns.{{cite news |author=Jonathan Beck |url=http://www.timesofisrael.com/arab-mks-drop-bid-for-foreign-affairs-and-defense-committee/ |title=Arab MKs drop bid for Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee |newspaper=The Times of Israel |date=29 March 2015 |access-date=14 June 2015}}

{{Main|2020 Israeli legislative election}}

File:Moshtakarah 2019 logo.png

The Joint List won 15 seats with 12.67% of the vote in the 2020 Knesset elections, remaining as the third-largest party in the Knesset until Yesh Atid split off from Blue and White to lead the opposition. This set a new record for percentage of the vote and number of seats for an Arab party,{{Cite news |last=Rasgon |first=Adam |title=Headed for 15 seats, Joint List chief claims 'huge' success, cites Jewish voters |language=en-US |url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/headed-for-15-seats-joint-list-chief-claims-huge-success-cites-jewish-voters/ |access-date=2 July 2020|work=The Times of Israel}} with it performing strongly in the Northern District, Arab cities and villages in the Galilee and also due to the high turnout in the Arab community.{{cite web | url=https://en.idi.org.il/articles/30961 | title=The Arab Israeli Vote in the 23rd Knesset Elections | date=October 2020 }}{{cite web | url=https://elections.kaplanopensource.co.il/2020/ | title=מפת הבחירות לכנסת ה-23 }} This was in part due to an increase in support from the Jewish left, as Ayman Odeh's campaigning in Jewish areas helped draw those voters away from the declining establishment left-wing parties.{{Cite news |title=A growing number of Jews are voting for Arabs in Israel |newspaper=The Economist |url=https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2020/02/27/a-growing-number-of-jews-are-voting-for-arabs-in-israel |access-date=2 July 2020 |issn=0013-0613}}

{{Main|2021 Israeli legislative election}}

The Joint List ran in the 2021 Knesset election without the United Arab List (Ra'am), who had withdrawn from it several months prior to the vote; it won 4,81% of votes and six seats, a sharp decline compared to previous elections. Such decline was mainly due to the fact that Ra'am ran separately from the List and to the partial resurgence of the Jewish left (Israeli Labor Party and Meretz), who increased their votes and seats.{{Cite web |date=31 March 2021 |title=After Israel's elections, Arab parties at crossroads – analysis |url=https://www.jpost.com/israel-elections/after-israels-elections-arab-parties-on-crossroads-analysis-663720 |access-date= |website=The Jerusalem Post |language=en}}

The Joint List refused to condemn the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine and also refused to attend the speech of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the Knesset.{{Cite news |date=22 March 2021 |title=Israeli Communists Boycott Zelensky Address to Knesset |work=Israel Hayom |url=https://www.israeltoday.co.il/read/israeli-communists-boycott-zelensky-address-to-knesset/}}

Shortly before the 2022 election the Joint List separated into a Hadash–Ta'al list which received 3.75% of votes and won five seats and a Balad list which received 2.9% of the vote, failing to cross the electoral threshold.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"

!

! colspan="2" | Leader

! Took office

! Left office

|-

| style="background: {{party color|Joint List}}; color: white" |

| 70px

| Ayman Odeh

| 2015

| 2022

|}

{| class=wikitable style=text-align:right

! Election

! Votes

! %

! Seats

! +/–

! Government

|-

! 2015{{efn|Joint List did not run together in the 2013 Israeli legislative election; seat adjustment calculated from parties that were affiliated with it}}

| 446,583

| 10.61

| {{Composition bar|13|120|hex={{party color|Joint List}}}}

| {{increase}} 2

| {{no2|Opposition}}

|-

! Sep 2019{{efn|Joint List did not run together in the April 2019 Israeli legislative election; seat adjustment calculated from parties that were affiliated with it}}

| 470,211

| 10.60

| {{Composition bar|13|120|hex={{party color|Joint List}}}}

| {{increase}} 3

| {{no2|Opposition}}

|-

! 2020

| 581,507

| 12.67

| {{Composition bar|15|120|hex={{party color|Joint List}}}}

| {{increase}} 2

| {{no2|Opposition}}

|-

! 2021{{efn|without Ra'am's seats from 2020}}

| 212,583

| 4.82

| {{Composition bar|6|120|hex={{party color|Joint List}}}}

| {{decrease}} 5

| {{no2|Opposition}}

|}

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