Right-wing protesters warn of ‘civil war’ if government formed with Arab-party support

Several hundred right-wing protesters demonstrated outside the Knesset on Tuesday afternoon as the new Knesset was being sworn in, denouncing the possibility that Yashar leader Gadi Eisenkot could establish a government with the support of the Arab-led political parties, and warning that such a move could lead to civil war.

The central theme of the protest, organized by the right-wing Im Tirtzu organization, was to denounce the Joint List and Ra’am parties as being “supporters of terrorism,” and to declare a government reliant on their support to be illegitimate.

Speakers and protesters repeatedly issued dire warnings of bloodshed should a government supported by the Arab parties be established, with one demonstrator telling The Times of Israel that a civil war would erupt if such a government were formed.

And protesters chanted throughout the demonstration “We want a Jewish state” as a further warning against a government supported by the Arab political parties, which they said would undermine the Jewish character of the country.

Protesters also alleged that the elections were “stolen” in reference to two investigations into possible fraud and demanded new elections, although senior officials have said repeatedly that the outcome of those investigations will not influence the outcome of the election.

Eisenkot has been given the first opportunity to try and form a government by President Isaac Herzog, but his ability to do so is extremely limited since his bloc lacks a majority without the Joint List and Ra’am, and given opposition from inside that bloc to swearing in a minority government supported by the Arab-led parties.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly claimed the Joint List and Ra’am to be “supporters of terrorism” in an effort to thwart the establishment of a government supported by the Arab parties. He issued the call again Tuesday in a bitter speech to the Knesset.

The Joint List and Ra’am have strongly rejected the accusations. Joint List MK Ahmad Tibi pointed out earlier this week in conversation with Herzog that he and not Netanyahu attended the funeral of a prominent peace activist murdered by Hamas on October 7, while B’Yachad MK Ram Ben Barak noted that “the only convicted terror supporter in the Knesset is Itamar Ben Gvir,” in response to the ultranationalist leader’s claim today that the Arab MKs support Hamas and Hezbollah.

The right-wing demonstration was staged in front of the Knesset, with police having set up three rows of barriers manned by armed Border Police personnel to block protesters from the access road to the Knesset building.

The protest was peaceful, with the rally mostly staged several meters away from the barriers, although a contingent of several dozen protesters did at one stage march right up to the police cordon chanting that a government supported by the Arab-led parties would be “a betrayal of the fighters,” and shouting “You don’t establish a government with terrorists.”

“We are protesting against the establishment of a coalition with, or even supported by, MKs who support terrorism,” said Moshe from the town of Matan, who declined to give his last name.

Asked why the MKs of the Joint List and Ra’am have not been arrested and put on trial if they have expressed or provided material support for terrorism, Moshe said merely that the Central Elections Committee plenum, a political body, banned them from running for Knesset for not supporting Israel as a Jewish state, but declined to say if this equated to support for terrorism.

“They have no moral right, although maybe a legal right, to decide for my children who have been fighting over the last three years, what will happen, if they will live or die,” continued Moshe.

“There will be a civil war here if it happens, no question. Civil war in the streets. Right now we are demonstrating here affably, politely and with respect. But it will become a civil war. We, the overwhelming majority of the Jewish people, will not allow terrorism supporters to determine the survival policies of the State of Israel.”

One speaker who addressed the crowd denounced the effort to replace Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana of the Likud with Yashar MK Matan Kahana, saying if it happened, Kahane would be sworn in “by virtue of the signature of 19 terrorists,” in reference to the 19 MKs of the Joint List and Ra’am Arab-majority parties, which include two Jewish MKs.

“Eisenkot, if you use the votes of those who pulled the trigger to kill our children, you are not worthy to be prime minister,” inveighed another speaker.

Ilana Giladi from Tirat Carmel in northern Israel claimed that a government backed by the majority-Arab parties would not be able to make critical security decisions and would endanger the safety of IDF soldiers.

“Ra’am didn’t agree to allow trees to be planted in the Negev, so do you think we can be dependent on terrorist supporters who visit terrorists in jail to defend our soldiers?” demanded Giladi in reference to an incident in 2022 during the Bennett-led government, which included Ra’am in the coalition.

And Amira Avraham from Moshav Tidhar in southern Israel made similar comments, denouncing the Joint List and Ra’am, and the Eiskenkot-led bloc for “giving them the keys to the country, and trampling on the blood of those who lost their lives.”

Avraham asserted that the Arab-led parties represent Palestinians not their Arab-Israeli constituents and censured the Eisenkot-led bloc for what she said was their preference to gain the support of the Joint List and Ra’am over parties of the right-wing bloc.

“In a few months my twins will enlist. Who will be giving instructions to the army then?” she demanded, becoming visibly emotional and verging on tears.

“Those who want to kill them? Those who encourage to kill them and incite against them.”