Poll: Popularity of Arab parties in decline

[eyl]

An opinion poll set to be published in the near future by Prof. Avi Dagani, of the Geocartography Institute, should worry for Arab Israeli parties running for the elections to the 17th Knesset, as it points to a decline in the popularity of Hadash, Balad, and the United Arab list, the three Arab parties in parliament.

The poll predicts that all three parties will fail to attract enough voters to guarantee seats in the Knesset.

Zionist parties are expected to profit from the unpopularity of Arab parties, as Arab voters are likely to guarantee two seats for Labor and one seat for Meretz, the poll predicts.

Link

[Ian David]

1. Arabs just don't know how to party? n/t

[Village Idiot]

2. Perhaps someone should explain this to the MAJORITY...

of Palestinians, who will. of course, be voting for their friendly, local Hamas representatives...

[Tom Joad]

3. These parties are in Israel, where Hamas is not organized, and not allowed

Hamas, and Fatah, are only allowed in the West Bank.

[Coastie for Truth]

4. Kach isn't allowed either.

[Name removed]

5. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Tom Joad]

9. "Stupid and Racist" parties are part of the Israeli government.

We have already discussed current government minister Ze'ev Boim, member of Likud, who once said that Arabs might have a "genetic defect". He is now serving in the Olmert government. Bush may someday call him a "Man of peace", too.

Whole Political Parties, like the National Union and Moledet party that have been part of the governing coalition with Sharon have called for the "transfer of the Arab population" out of Israel. That is calling for ethnic cleansing. So to say Kach Party is not allowed in Israel is not saying much. Other parties with essentially the same message participate freely.

[Coastie for Truth]

10. Thank you so very much.

<>

[barb162]

6. Maybe this is something as simple as small parties

tending to fade away just as they do here. They usually have no way to sway majority voting blocs except when the majority parties have close votes. Or perhaps the incumbents have been ineffective in other ways.

[eyl]

7. My personal suspicion

(and admittedly I have little in the way of facts to back it up) is that this represents both a trend of increasing Arab integration with the Jewish population, a realization that the small parties are relatively ineffective*, and a growing disenchantment with the Arab parties' MKs, who often seem more concerned with the Palestinians than with their own voters.

*Especially with the requisite percentage of votes for a party's admission to the Knesset being increased this election, which means some of the smaller parties may totally fall out after the elections.

[pelsar]

8. thats what i thought....

a while back there was some interviews with arab/israelis who basically said that the arab parties were an outgrowth of tribal politics....and they weren't "interested in that"

[Jim Sagle]

11. Once again proving that Israel RRRRRRRAWWWWKSSSS!!!!!!!!