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.
[1] The new party had three seats in the Knesset, held by Hamad Abu Rabia, Jabr Muadi and veteran Israeli Arab politician, Seif-El-Din El-Zubi.
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.
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,[4] in which the Alignment tripled its vote share among Israeli Arabs.