According to some Balad officials, this scenario may be avoidable, but only given a set of specific conditions: the Joint List holds together after polling day; its number of seats increases; and it harnesses the greater unity between the parties to build national institutions.
Primarily, that would require overhauling the Follow-Up Committee, the only national political body representing the Palestinian minority.
In the past, the committee's effectiveness has been seriously undermined by the same political discord that besets the parties, together with the weight it gives to local mayors, representing extended families rather than political programs.
Balad has been arguing for the committee to become a mini-parliament, with its members directly elected, thereby making it truly representative.
However, such an outcome still appears a long way off.
Israeli governments have always deeply opposed such a move by the Palestinian minority, claiming it would be tantamount to sedition. Israeli officials could be expected to fight it tooth and nail.
They may be joined by the socialists of Hadash, both its Jewish and Arab members. They have labelled efforts to change the Follow-Up Committee into a parliament as "secessionism" -- in their eyes, an abandonment of joint Jewish-Arab struggle.
The Joint List may drive up the turn-out at this election. But over the long term the Palestinian minority will probably expect more radical solutions than a unity of short-term political convenience.
(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).
