For months now, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been stubbornly courting the Arab population. In a March 21 interview with Arab-Israeli news outlets Hala TV and Panet, the prime minister promised that he would arrange direct flights from Tel Aviv to Mecca so Muslim Israelis can participate in the annual pilgrimage. He spoke enthusiastically about the establishment of diplomatic relations between Israel and several Arab states, particularly in the Gulf, and the improving relationships between Jews and Arabs at home.
It was an enticing promise and the news reverberated throughout the country, forcing Knesset members from the Joint List onto the defensive.