An unprecedented alliance or bloc of four predominantly Arab political parties within
Israel:
Hadash,
Balad, the United Arab List, and Ta'al. The four parties banded together in response to the new election law put forth by Avigdor Liberman that raised the election threshold to receive 3.25% of the vote (in order to get a seat in the
Israeli Knesset. The four parties formed the Joint List in January 2015 in the lead up to the March 2015 elections. The List, headed by Hadash leader
Ayman Odeh, became the 3rd biggest party in the Knesset, winning 13 seats. For the first time, political parties made up predominantly of
Palestinian citizens of Israel played a significant role in Israeli media and elections. The Joint List is comprised of parties and members with vast ideological differences; include Islamists, secularists, nationalists, and communists. In spite of, or perhaps because of this, the List's creation and success in the March 2015 elections was a source of hope and inspiration for many Palestinian citizens of Israel and Jewish Israelis who struggle for equality and pluralism. See "
Israel's Joint List faces challenging road ahead," Lena Odgaard, Al Jazeera English, March 29, 2015; and "Arab parties announce joint slate for upcoming election," Mairav Zonszein, +972mag, Jan 23, 2015.