An Islamist party is part of Israel’s new coalition government. How did that happen?
Last week, minutes before his 28-day mandate expired, Yair Lapid, head of Israel’s Yesh Atid party, announced that he had obtained the necessary agreements with parties that would allow him to form a coalition government.
Assuming no last-minute “defections” among Knesset members, the incoming government will have eight female ministers, a record number, and a record number of coalition partners — eight parties in all. Israel’s 36th government is also expected to be the first in more than 40 years to include an Arab party, the Islamist Ra’am party. Here’s the history behind this shift.
Arab voters have been marginalized from Israeli politicsBetween 1949 and 1977, the Mapai party, and its successor, Israel’s Labor party, dominated Israeli politics.… Seguir leyendo »