Full Breakdown
New Arab-Jewish Party “A Place for All of Us” Seeks to Redefine Israeli Politics
6/17/2026, 2:29:00 AM
Launch of a Joint Jewish-Arab Slate
On Tuesday in Nazareth, Standing Together leaders announced Makom Lekulanu (“A Place for All of Us”), a joint Jewish-Arab party co-chaired by Palestinian activist Rula Daood and Jewish activist Alon-Lee Green. The party describes itself as a “truly shared Arab-Jewish party, truly equal” and seeks to attract voters across Israeli society before the 27 October election.
Background & Context
Founded in 2015, Standing Together now has over 7,000 paying members and promotes Jewish-Arab partnership. Israel’s Arab parties—Hadash, Ta’al, Balad and Ra’am—remain fragmented, with the Joint List reduced to Hadash-Ta’al. The 3.25 % electoral threshold (four seats) compels small parties to consider joint lists for Knesset entry.
Platform and Policy Priorities
The party’s platform centers on reducing violence and crime, tackling the high cost of living and housing shortage, and advancing an Israeli-Palestinian peace agreement. It also calls for the removal of National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Official Statements & Responses
Party officials stressed Makom Lekulanu’s independence from Standing Together. The candidate list will be chosen by an elected council. A spokesperson said the party is open to coalition partnerships with groups sharing its values, including alliances with Naftali Bennett or Yesh Ari Eisenkot, and reiterated its goal to unseat the current government.
Data & Statistics
Internal polling projected three Knesset seats, one short of the 3.25 % (four-seat) threshold. Over 1,000 people have registered with the party, and Standing Together reports more than 7,000 members.
Criticism & Opposition
Some Jewish Israelis accuse Standing Together of betrayal, while certain Palestinians claim the initiative normalizes Zionism. Opposition leaders have expressed reluctance to include Arab parties in any governing coalition, questioning the party’s coalition prospects.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Sources differ on Daood and Green’s list order, and the party has not clarified whether it will hold primaries or rely on the elected council for candidates. The three-seat projection conflicts with the four-seat threshold needed for Knesset entry.
Verbatim Quotes
- “We are being abandoned, murdered, our future is being burned,” — Rula Daood, Co-chair
- “strengthen the effort to remove Ben Gvir, Smotrich, and Netanyahu from power,” — Alon-Lee Green, Co-chair
- “It’s time to have a truly equal Jewish-Arab partnership,” — Alon-Lee Green, Co-chair
- “ He told The Times of Israel that more than 1,000 people had registered with the party in recent weeks and said he expected that number to rise following the launch.” — Alon-Lee Green, Co-chair
Why It Matters
The party’s entry could fragment the anti-Netanyahu bloc by drawing support from left-wing parties such as the Democrats and the Arab-Jewish Hadash list, complicating coalition building for the 61-seat majority required to form a government.
What’s Next
The party will continue registration drives and finalize its candidate list before the 27 October election, after which coalition negotiations are expected to intensify.
