Three of the four major Arab parties in Israel—Hadash, Ta’al, and Balad—were unable to reach an agreement on a joint slate for the upcoming Knesset elections, after Ta’al leader MK Ahmad Tibi rejected the proposed lineup on Sunday. This development marks a significant setback to efforts aimed at unifying Arab parties ahead of the October 27 elections.

The negotiations, led by an internal Arab-led Reconciliation Committee, sought to replicate the Joint List alliance formed in 2015, which had previously bolstered Arab representation in the Knesset. The committee was tasked with dividing the seats among the parties to avoid prolonged disputes over candidate placements. The latest proposal allocated the second and ninth spots on the slate to Ta’al.

Following the proposal’s release, leaders from Hadash and Balad expressed their approval and signaled their willingness to proceed under the committee’s recommendation. However, Tibi remained opposed to the arrangement, resulting in the collapse of the talks.

A spokesperson for Hadash confirmed the breakdown in negotiations but did not elaborate on the specific reasons behind Tibi’s rejection. The failure to finalize a joint slate undermines efforts to present a unified Arab front, even as polls have suggested that a combined alliance could secure more seats than separate lists.

In the aftermath of the rejection, two members of the Reconciliation Committee resigned, according to a report by KAN News, reflecting the internal tensions following the collapse.

As of now, it remains unclear how the Arab parties will configure their campaigns ahead of the elections, with the potential for multiple separate lists to divide Arab voters. The result could significantly impact the dynamics of Arab participation in the Israeli parliament for the upcoming term.