Democrats member: Can't form government with Arab parties

As coalition talks in Israel reach an impasse, a member of the Democrats party who ran in its recent primaries has published a sharp message aimed at the country's secular public, calling for a fundamental shift in how they understand their place in Israeli politics.

Naor Narkis opened his statement with a blunt assessment: "Dear secular Israelis, we are not the majority. We are also not going to be the majority at any point in the foreseeable future."

"In every election cycle there will be some former IDF chief of staff who will tell us that we are the majority, that the public is with him, and that he's winning this time," Narkis wrote. "But we are not the majority, and it's time we recognize that."

"A government with the Arabs won't be possible, deal with it"

Narkis analyzed the balance of power in the Knesset and argued that attempts to build a coalition with Arab parties are disconnected from political reality.

"The majority of the people of Israel is right-wing, very right-wing politically. And it's not just the current coalition; it's also three out of four Zionist parties in the opposition camp," he wrote. "So for all those who think a coalition with Ra'am and the Joint List is something realistic, I recommend looking at Eisenkot's Bnei Akiva and Yitzhar list and at Liberman's statements. They will never go for it. If they do, it's already clear which MKs will make a mess of it."

Ready for more?

"To those who voted Democrats, I recommend getting out of the echo chamber you're living in," Narkis continued. "Such a government won't hold and won't be possible. Not fun to hear? Deal with it."

"Behave as a powerful, Machiavellian minority"

Narkis called for a strategic shift in how the secular camp conducts its political struggle, urging exclusive focus on religion-state issues while abandoning political and security matters.

"At no point in the foreseeable future will the secular public be able to control the entire government," he wrote. "Therefore, the time has come for the secular public to internalize that it is a minority, with a lot of money, a lot of power, strength in academia and technology, and to start behaving politically as a powerful, Machiavellian minority that fights for its values in the Israeli jungle on civil issues."

"On separating religion from cash, on dismantling the chareidi establishment, on 24/7 public transportation, on civil marriage, and on Israel's character as a Western state with a high standard of living," he specified. "On these issues alone, disconnected from political issues, we do have a chance to form a majority."

"Failure to recognize reality will destroy the state"

Narkis concluded with a warning about the continuation of the current situation and pointed to what he sees as the required political model.

"This is nothing but a sober, democratic look at the election results," he wrote. "We must cross the bridge and internalize that we are no longer a majority, that we won't be one soon, and that we are merely a minority that, with secular political organization, can change the direction of the state and receive an honorable place at the wheel."

"Any continuation of failure to recognize reality will destroy the State of Israel to the religious and racist passions whose representatives enjoy the fact that we are not effective players on the political field," Narkis warned. "The political force that will be capable of this is a powerful secular civil political force, similar to what the Shinui party was in 2003."