The UAL was established on 8 March 1977, during the
eighth Knesset by the merger of the
Arab List for Bedouins and Villagers and
Progress and Development. Both were Israeli Arab parties associated with the
Labor Party, and had merged into it the Labor-dominated
Alignment alliance shortly after the 1973 elections, only to break away again. In the
1977 elections the party won just one seat. The three former MKs agreed to take it on a rotation basis. El-Zubi held the seat first, staying in the Knesset until 3 April 1979, and was then replaced by Abu Rabia. However, Abu Rabia refused to give up the seat in favour of Muadi and the case was taken to court which ruled the initial agreement invalid. Abu Rabia was then assassinated on 12 January 1981 by Muadi's sons. Despite his family's role in Abu Rabia's death, Muadi took the seat for the remainder of the Knesset session. The Labor Party withdrew its support for the UAL prior to the
1981 elections, in which the Alignment tripled its vote share among Israeli Arabs. The UAL failed to cross the
electoral threshold and subsequently disappeared. ==References==