Joint Arab List lawmakers, among them faction leader MK Ayman Odeh and faction chairman MK Ahmad Tibi, a veteran parliamentarian who has seen his share of political stunts, knew nothing about the move to nominate Blue and White Chairman Benny Gantz to the post of Knesset speaker.
On Thursday, in the afternoon hours, most of the Joint Arab List's MKs were still on social media, writing about their support for Yesh Atid MK Meir Cohen as next Speaker, based on the understandings between the Joint Arab List and Blue and White representatives MKs Ofer Shelah and Avi Nissenkorn.
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Just a little while later, however, the rumors that had spread were verified and the shock and dismay in the faction's offices quickly turned to outrage and condemnation of Gantz.
Odeh said, "We won't lend a hand to a government headed by [Benjamin] Netanyahu. Blue and White will decide if they want to win together or surrender alone."
Another senior Joint Arab List official lambasted Gantz, saying that he "betrayed us time after time. We went against our principles and the red lines we set for ourselves, to give him the support to remove Netanyahu and the right-wing government, and in return, we got a finger in the eye and a knife in the back."
The official added: "First and foremost we need to ask forgiveness from our constituents. Nissenkorn and Shelah, at the behest of Benny Gantz, threw sand in our eyes and used us.
"There were those in the faction who opposed from the outset recommending Gantz [to the president, to form the next government] and said he would betray us again. But most of the faction and its entire leadership were in favor of recommending him to the president, and ultimately we had to eat the rotten fish and we were banished from the city."
Joint Arab List MK Yousef Jabareen said, "The Likud B, which throughout the election campaign spoke of a 'Jewish majority' and fell in line with unilateral annexation [of the Jordan Valley and parts of Judea and Samaria], joined Likud A. We will lead the opposition to the government of continued incitement, racism, and occupation."
MK Ofer Cassif, also of the Joint Arab List, also denounced the move, saying that "Benny Gantz chose to steal the mandates and pave the way for an ethno-faschist government headed by the serial defendant. I am warning Gantz and anyone thinking about joining him – this path will lead to disaster, not just for us but for you. For all of society."
Tibi was no less adamant in his denunciation of Gantz. "The Joint Arab List had its say and voted against the nomination of Benny Gantz as Knesset Speaker. We will not support this unity government."
