Joint Arab List representatives met Sunday with President Reuven Rivlin as part of the President’s consultations with parties on who will form the next government. 

The list – comprised of Balad, Hadash, and the United Arab List – expressed strong opposition to a coalition formed by Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, claiming that a government under his leadership will only continue “the occupation and oppression” against Palestinians. 

The Joint List’s representatives appealed to Rivlin to denounce Netanyahu’s “dangerous” behavior from election day, in which he called on citizens to come out to vote to combat the large numbers of Arab voters. 

“Netanyahu’s behavior makes his tenure as prime minister illegitimate and stands in sharp contrast to what the President himself said, when he called for all citizens to come out and vote,” the contingency alleged. 

MK Jamal Zahalka (Balad) said that any government [formed by Netanyahu] would be both dangerous and racist.

“Liberman says he’s going to behead us, Bennett said we’re car thieves, and Netanyahu says that the votes of Arab citizens are dangerous,” Zahalka explained. 

“What do they want from us? If casting a ballot is dangerous, what do they want? That we’ll throw stones? This is less dangerous…they need to encourage us to vote,” Zahalka charged. 

“We have a great power, and we’ll give a fight that you haven’t seen before,” Zahalka promised. “The Foreign Affairs and Defense Committees don’t interest us, rather committees that will help us end the occupation.”

“Netanyahu crossed a red line and we’ve drafted a complaint that will be filed with the Attorney General tomorrow. We will take and exhaust all measures to ensure Netanyahu gets what he deserves.”

Joint Arab List Chairman and incoming MK, Ayman Odeh also attacked Netanyahu after the meeting with President RIvlin. 

“The prime minister cannot be someone who chooses election tactics that incite against an entire population and challenge the basic rights of their citizenship,” Odeh argued. 

“He chooses to base his leadership on intimidation, despair, and incitement against citizens of the very country he claims to stand as leader for.”

“We are looking at the next Knesset and know we will have a persistent struggle against racist legislation, a deepening of the occupation and the settlements, and an increase of social gaps,” Odeh added.