Journalist and columnist Hagai Segal has called on the leaders of Israel's "change bloc" to abandon efforts to form a government backed by Arab parties. He said Miriam Peretz's statement that her son, MK Eliasaf Peretz, would leave the Knesset rather than sit in such a coalition marked a significant moment in the coalition talks.
Miriam Peretz said her son, a Knesset member for the Yashar party, would resign his seat if his party joined a coalition that relies on an Arab party. Her remarks caused a stir as negotiations continue over the formation of Israel's next government.
In a post on social media, Segal argued that the objection to relying on Arab parties is not a one-off. In his view, it reflects a fundamental problem that would prevent any such government from remaining stable over time.
"The fresh incident with Eliasaf Peretz is significant," Segal wrote. "Over time, and perhaps even in the short term, it will not be possible to rest a Zionist government on the shoulders of factions whose vision is turning Israel into a state of all its citizens."
