Israeli Arab lawmakers from the Balad and Hadash parties met Thursday afternoon in Nazareth to deliberate how to contend with the absence of their Balad Chairman Azmi Bishara and suspicions of his purported resignation from Knesset.

Amid concern for Bishara's continued absence from Israel, Balad members are starting to fear the party could disintegrate without him.

Bishara, who is currently in Madrid, has signed a letter of resignation from the Knesset but has yet to submit it for technical reasons, Haaretz has learned. He is considering whether to return to Israel.

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Balad's leadership on Wednesday vehemently denied rumors that its chairman did not intend to return to Israel. Bishara would be welcome in many countries, where he could continue writing, commenting and doing research, but that would mean leaving his constituents and followers.

Four years ago, then Attorney General Elyakim Rubinstein wanted to disqualify Bishara and Balad from running for the Knesset. It was clear that "Balad is Bishara, Bishara is Balad," said number two in the party, MK Jamal Zahalka.

The same issue is troubling Balad's leadership now.

"He's coming back, that's for sure. He's continuing on his trip as planned," said a confidant of his on Monday. But many activists want to hear this directly from their leader.

"Nobody knows anything. Bishara must decide for himself and he's tarrying. It would be a great disappointment if he did not return," a prominent public Arab figure associated with the party said.

On Sunday this week, Zahalka was busy organizing the long campaign facing the party in the coming weeks and months. Media advisors in his legal office in Baka al-Garbiya tried to answer all the journalists' incessant questions. Their central message was that Balad and its leader were subject to political persecution.

Party leaders on Wednesday signaled they were gearing up for a crisis. They initiated meetings with well-known Arab public figures. Their Histadrut representatives threatened to bring about new elections in the labor federation, while Balad's two MKs met the agriculture minister.

If Bishara resigns, Zahalka is next in line as party chairman. Zahalka would not comment on this Wednesday. "The central committee leads the party and we now function as a collective leadership," Zahalka said.

Few have been in touch with Bishara in recent days and the absence of instructions coupled with the uncertainty of his return are raising fears about the party's future.

"It will fall apart. This party hasn't built itself up for the day after Bishara," a Balad supporter said.

"Without his leadership, Balad will not last, even though it represents a well-rooted ideology," he said.

The assumption among Balad's rivals is that without Bishara, Balad's value will plummet. "Clearly without Bishara it's not the same Balad. But we must wait and see how things develop. It's too early to tell," a source in Hadash said Wednesday.

Balad: Return of Bishara's wife proves he hasn't fled
Bishara's wife and children returned to Israel on Wednesday following a multiple day visit to Jordan. A spokesperson for the Balad party said her return is proof that Bishara is not planning to flee Israel or emigrate from it.

Bishara, who flew from Israel two weeks ago, left Jordan on Tuesday for a trip to Europe. Balad sources say he will visit Spain and France, where he will participate in international conferences and hold meetings.

He will then leave for a conference in Bahrain on Arab nationalism, and may also visit India, they said.