The communists and nationalists are secular, and oppose in particular the Islamic movement's stance on women's rights. But the Communists reject the nationalists and Islamic Movement's support for educational and cultural autonomy for the Palestinian minority.
Instead, the communists characterise themselves as a uniquely joint Jewish-Arab party, though there are few Jewish members, and highlight cooperation between the two groups.
Added to the mix is the effectively one-man party of Ahmed Tibi, a former adviser to Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat. Tibi, who has entered the Knesset by making temporary alliances with the Communist and Islamic parties in earlier elections, was the choice of nearly half of the Palestinian citizens polled this month to lead a unified list.
Further worrying the parties has been the dramatic drop in turnout among Palestinian citizens in recent elections, down to barely more than half of potential voters in the last two ballots.
That is attributed in part to growing dissatisfaction with the parties squabbling, in part to the popularity of a northern wing of the Islamic Movement which refuses to stand for the Knesset, and in part to an organised boycott by secular left-wing groups.
But despite these various pressures, the parties are reported to be struggling to find a way to unite.
According to Hana Swaid, a Knesset member from the Communist party, known as Hadash, an agreement on either one or two lists could emerge over the next few weeks.
He believes the most likely scenario is that Hadash will eventually insist on two lists, allying with Tibi, and leave the nationalists of Balad and the Islamic faction to work together.
Sectarianism intensifying"There is opposition from different elements in the party," Swaid said.
"Some want us to remain identifiably secular and refuse an alliance with the Islamic Movement. Others, especially the Jewish members, feel the party must not lose its Jewish-Arab character."
But Swaid conceded that the failure to agree on one list might intensify calls for a boycott. "I hear lots of people saying it's either a single list or we won't vote. They are fed up with divisions and want to punish us. The parties are aware of that danger."
Zoabi said the central issues that divided the parties were not relevant to their work in the Knesset. "Women's rights are very important, but the Knesset is not the right arena for us as a Palestinian minority to deal with this issue. This is an internal debate we should be having in our own political institutions, in the Arab media, in our schools."
Abdel Fattah warned that unity was also vital to diminish sectarianism and internal feuding among the Palestinian minority, heightened by the Netanyahu government's recent efforts to try to recruit Christian Palestinians to the army.
"If the secular and Islamic parties are on separate lists, it will simply play into the hands of the right. We must show leadership and strengthen the social fabric so that we can struggle more effectively for our national and civil rights."
Ali Zbeidat, a boycott supporter and columnist with the Hadith al-Nass newspaper, said: "The reality is that there is no unity. Even if they create one list, it will be only to save their seats. But nothing good is going to come from our participation in the Knesset."
He dismissed suggestions that a strong showing by the Arab parties might offer political benefits. Some have argued that it would strengthen the centre-left block, allowing the recently allied parties of Labour Party's Yitzhak Herzog and Hatnuah's Tzipi Livni to form a government that might for the first time in Israel's history include Arab parties.
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