Initial surveys after closing of official slates for March elections see both Netanyahu and his opponents short of majority; several parties in danger of falling below threshold

The three remaining parties are polling low, and breakaway Ra'am is not likely to enter the Knesset. The PM, who nurtured Arab political chaos, is likely watching with glee

Hadash, Balad, and Ta'al ink agreement ahead of elections, but Islamist faction left out after making overtures to Netanyahu

Hadash, Balad factions to continue as Joint List alliance of Arab parties, while Ahmad Tibi's Ta'al and Mansour Abbas's Ra'am will each run separately

'We've failed,' says Balad MK Mtanes Shahadeh, after four-way meeting fails to bring unity; parties will likely not run as one bloc, although decision not final

Bloc has come under considerable strain in recent months as Ra’am faction leader Mansour Abbas has pushed for normalizing ties with Netanyahu

PM said to estimate he could get up to 5 Knesset seats from community he has been seen as vilifying until recently; Nazareth mayor says he 'believes' premier, lambasts Ayman Odeh

The Joint List alliance got an unprecedented 15 seats and broke political taboos in a bid to achieve its goals. Its factions have little to show for it except their community's ire

Joint List chief Ayman Odeh: Netanyahu must think Arab Israelis have a "short memory"; 19 arrested, including parliamentary aides, with one Joint List MK sent to hospital

Criticized over past rhetoric toward community, PM tells Likud officials he is 'reaching out to Arab voters'; rivals slam comments as opportunist electioneering