Palestinian Authority Officials Reportedly Pressured Arab Parties to Unite

Senior Palestinian Authority officials led by President Mahmoud Abbas pressured leaders of Hadash, Ta’al and Balad to revive the Joint List and prevent Benjamin Netanyahu from forming a government, according to reports citing journalist Mohammad Magadli. The effort reportedly focused on Ta’al chairman Ahmad Tibi after negotiations stalled over slate positions. Hadash chairman Yousef Jabareen heads the agreed list, followed by Tibi and Balad chairman Sami Abu Shehadeh, while Ra’am remains outside. The Joint List denied that external pressure drove its decision and said it would work to defeat Netanyahu; Likud responded that political actors in Ramallah wanted Netanyahu to lose.