Israel's opposition can only beat Netanyahu by allying with Arab parties and abandoning gentlemen's rules against nationalist populists
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/profile/jonathanfreedland. "This is the hard lesson from Israel’s election: to stop nationalist populists, you can’t play by gentlemen’s rules | Jonathan Freedland in Tel Aviv | The Guardian." October 30, 2026. www.theguardian.com
The Gist
Israel's opposition won more seats than Netanyahu's bloc, but it can't form a government without Arab parties, which it had pledged to shun after accepting Netanyahu's framing. The author argues the opposition must partner with Arab citizens and fight as hard as Netanyahu does. He says opponents of populists elsewhere should likewise refuse their framing, tell a better story, and stop being too polite.
Conclusion
To defeat Netanyahu, Israel's Jewish-led opposition must make common cause with Arab-led parties and fight with the same determination as he does. The same lessons apply to opponents of nationalist populists elsewhere: reject the other side's framing, offer a compelling alternative story, and match their resolve instead of playing by gentlemen's rules.
Premises
- The election left the anti-Netanyahu bloc with 67 seats to his coalition's 53, but 19 of those 67 belong to Arab-led parties, so the bloc cannot form a government without them.
- Most of the main Jewish-led opposition parties accepted Netanyahu's framing of Arab politicians as an illegitimate enemy within and pledged not to ally with them, which leaves them unable to form a government.
- Jewish Israeli voters are predominantly rightwing and have been for decades, so the Jewish-led opposition is a minority and cannot win on its own.
- The opposition faced ideal conditions, with Netanyahu at his weakest and a credible, decent challenger in Eisenkot, and still could not win without Arab votes.
- Netanyahu is shameless and will cross any line or cut any deal to keep power, including delegitimising Arab voters and alleging the vote was stolen or bought.
- Nationalist populists tell compelling stories, so opponents who only criticise, who accept the populists' terms, or who observe norms the populists ignore will lose.
Assumptions
- Arab-led parties are willing to join or support a coalition with Jewish-led opposition parties, despite their historic boycott and non-Zionist stance.
- Allying with Arab parties would not cost the opposition more Jewish votes than it gains, or would at least be necessary regardless.
- The analogy between Israeli Arabs and Black Americans in the Democratic coalition is valid enough to guide strategy.
- Matching the populists' ruthlessness means legitimate hardball rather than abandoning democratic norms.
- Lessons from Israel's unique political system transfer to the US, France and Britain.
- Analysts are right that fresh elections would favour Netanyahu, so the opposition's window is now.