Thread by @Elizrael

Historic moment. The Joint List, representing Israel's Arab population, is recommending former Chief of Staff, Benny Gantz, for the PM. This is the first time independent Palestinian-Israeli parties have done so (before 1966, major Israeli parties created Arab satellite parties).

The decision followed a heated debate within the Joint List, with the nationalistic Palestinian party, Balad, objecting to recommending Gantz. Gantz infamously bragged in the April election campaign about "returning parts of Gaza to the stone age" bit.ly/2NstDuX

The decision to recommend Gantz will make it easier for him to get a first crack at trying to establish a government, before Netanyahu. This gives him a host of procedural powers & can help him incite an internal coup in the Likud against Netanyahu to form a gov under his lead.

The decision by the Joint List stems from a combination of 2 major factors:
1) Leadership of @AyOdeh & @Ahmad_tibi who've pushed the JL for greater integration w/ the political scene. The decision to recommend Gantz was opposed by some Communist & Islamist MKs & all of Balad.

@AyOdeh @Ahmad_tibi 2) The seismic changes within Israeli Arab society in recent years, with demands for greater integration & prioritization of bread & butter issues over the national Palestinian struggle. Majority among them no longer identify as Palestinian bit.ly/2FTI98L

@AyOdeh @Ahmad_tibi The politicians representing the Arab citizens of Israel are belatedly catching up with the demands of their increasingly pragmatic electorate. New poll shows 76% support joining Gantz's coalition (something the Joint List is ruling out) bit.ly/32UyWHl

@AyOdeh @Ahmad_tibi Through a policy of carrots (economic integration, growth of an Arab middle class) and sticks (punishing displays of Palestinian nationalism, discrimination), Israel has been able to cajole Arab citizens of Israel to focus on quality of life issues over national struggle.