Judging by the voices on the ground in Arab Street, Balad's exit from the joint list - causes a stir. True, there are those who believe that this is a proper political decision that may drag the hawkish, anti-Zionist public after Balad, but we got the impression that the majority is not like that.
Even if the polls currently show that the voting rate may be significantly lower than the potential of the mandates, it is possible that precisely the opposite - the disappointment with the split and the satisfaction with Ra'am's entry into the government - will increase the voter rate.
Life is bustling in the market in Wadi Nissans in Haifa - business as usual.
The smell of the spices, and the menaish (pitta with za'atar) is stronger than the smell of the elections.
The sellers in the market hold divided opinions about the split between Balad and the joint list. In Othman Zoevi's grocery store, a family argument arises. "After this split and after the elections, all the parties must come back together, including Ra'am, and unite into one party," wishes the father. "Today, everything is interests.
The principles are long gone.
Four months ago they announced elections, and since then they have not been able to consolidate themselves as one force."
Will they succeed in bringing the sector to the polls?
Odeh and Tibi (archive), photo: Oren Ben Hakon
The son, Mohammed, joins the conversation and says: "As far as I'm concerned, all of them will not pass the blocking percentage. Maybe then they will establish one party with a young force."
The father adds: "We live here in the country and need to integrate into every government office. It is impossible to ignore the Arab society."
Later we meet Yaakov Eid, a pensioner who has already gone through several election campaigns in his life.
He is sitting at the entrance to Fatma Bakery and smoking a cigarette.
As in every election, you will also find him at the ballot box, but he does not intend to vote for the Arab parties and the despair of the politicians in the sector is evident in his words.
Who does?
He refuses to say.
"It's all the interests of the thrones," he says.
"These leaders only care about themselves and those around them. The rest get nothing."
Regarding the Arab members of the Knesset, he said: "Arab society is going into an abyss. You see the leaders, the members of the Knesset fighting among themselves, cursing each other, and the ones who eat it in the end are the Arab citizens. What does it matter that they broke up? Even so, they do not want to join any government. They Always anti. Warming chairs is not wisdom. Taking care of the society you came from - that's the will."
Yaakov says that for many years he has not voted for the Arab lists.
"It hurts their voters that they divide them more and more and at the same time they enjoy salaries and jobs. If they were united, we would reach 80 percent of the vote in Arab society and then there would be 20 Knesset members - that's a very strong political force."
"It hurts their voters that they only divide each other" (for illustration), photo: Oren Ben Hakon
Arabs are not voted for
After four consecutive elections in three years in the Arab street, the degree of interest in the elections is decreasing.
Most passers-by are not interested in talking about politics.
It is not clear what this means for the expected turnout.
At the pickle shop we meet Rimon Issa.
He served in the police all his life until he retired.
According to him - the step of Mansour Abbas was important and significant for him.
"All the mandates you don't get are not counted if you don't enter the government," he explains, "those who want to influence must enter the government. In the joint list, there are always left out, so I don't vote for them, I never voted for them."
Suddenly a passer-by intervenes: "It's good that the BLD party has recovered and is fighting alone. We will still be the surprise of the elections. We have activists all over the country and we will surprise everyone again," he says.
"All the mandates you don't bring are not considered if you don't enter the government", Rimon Issa, resident of Wadi Nissans, photo: Oren Ben Hakon
We leave Wadi Nisnas and make our way to Shafaram where the voter turnout in the last elections was 44 percent.
Ra'am received almost 20 percent of the votes. The joint list - 53 percent. Lieberman is actually strong here with 11 percent. Hamed Amer, sixth place in Israel Beitno, lives in Shafaram.
Among the alleys of the Dabar Elkanis neighborhood we meet in Alaa, who advocates unity.
"The split is a shame," he laments.
"Everyone thinks of themselves as a leader and the activists pay people to vote. This split is not good. It will bring four mandates to Hadash and Tal and four to Ra'am - instead of there being one big party.
In that case, we will receive 20 mandates and set the public agenda."
"I prefer the right to the Arab parties" Alaa Mashfaram is surprising, photo: Gil Eliyahu, Gini, Moshe Shay
Alaa will not vote for the Arab parties this time either.
"I prefer the right," he surprises.
"In any case, the Arab parties didn't help us in anything. We receive budgets by grace and not by right. As far as I'm concerned, every Arab party should enter the government. I don't have another country. My children study here. My future is here. Let them unite and take care of us."
Suddenly, the mayor, Ursan Yassin, arrives.
He made headlines when he called for Jews to come and live in Shafaram and approved the renovation of the tombs of the righteous in the city.
"The mutual attacks started on social networks and Arabic news websites. What will three parties help us if they do not pass the blocking percentage? We will be a rift in Arab society, we are all divided. The current situation is grim. If we unite as one bloc, we will receive all the rights and of course give the duties. We need to join hands and be involved in every government, but in the meantime we are divided and do not know who to vote for."
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