Jerusalem [Israel], November 11 (ANI): Ra’am party leader Mansour Abbas on Wednesday accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of using his position to incite against the Arab community, while claiming that a confidant of the premier recently contacted him to gauge his party's position on a possible coalition to replace the incumbent government.
According to The Times of Israel, Abbas told the Kan public broadcaster that Natan Eshel, a confidant of Netanyahu, had recently sent him a message on behalf of the premier.
"He was interested in our position regarding a law banning criminal defendants from serving as premier, and whether we will join a coalition to replace Netanyahu’s government," Abbas said.
Responding to Likud's denial that Netanyahu had previously told him that he, Netanyahu and then-Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar "understand each other," Abbas challenged the premier to take a polygraph test.
"I am willing to take a polygraph and he can take a polygraph, [to see] who is telling the truth. There were other people in the room," Abbas told Kan.
Abbas also criticised Netanyahu's speech on Tuesday, accusing him of using his position to target the Arab community and its representatives.
"He took advantage of his state position to incite against the Arab public and its representatives," Abbas said.
"[Netanyahu] continues the campaign of incitement and blood libels against me, against Ra’am, against the Arab public," he added, calling the speech dangerous and saying it endangered his life and the lives of his family members.
Earlier, Netanyahu had accused members of Arab parties of seeking Israel's destruction and supporting terrorism.
In a post on X, the Likud leader opposed the possibility of forming a government with Ra’am and the Joint List, saying, "Shame! It is forbidden to form a dangerous government with the terror supporters of Ra’am and the Joint List!"
Responding to the allegations against his party, Abbas said he had consistently maintained a firm position against terrorism and political violence.
"I have expressed a very, very firm opinion against terrorist organisations, against terrorist acts, against political violence, against the killing of people in a general manner," he said.
The Ra’am leader also explained why he remained in the Knesset plenum during the singing of Israel's national anthem on Tuesday, even as other Arab lawmakers left.
"Our position is to present statesmanship, of responsibility, of not being provocative," Abbas said.
The political confrontation comes amid efforts to form a new government following Israel's October 27 parliamentary elections, which resulted in a hung Knesset, with neither major political bloc securing the 61 seats required for a majority in the 120-member legislature.
Netanyahu's Likud-led faction secured 53 seats, while opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot's Yashar alliance won 48 seats. However, Eisenkot secured recommendations from representatives commanding 67 parliamentary seats, compared with 46 for Netanyahu, including crucial backing from Arab factions Ra’am and the Joint List, which together hold 19 seats.
President Isaac Herzog assigned Eisenkot the mandate to form the next government on Sunday, November 8.
Meanwhile, the Knesset is scheduled to approve the composition of the Arrangements Committee, which will oversee much of the parliament's business until a new government is formed.
Yashar lawmaker Roy Folkman is expected to chair the committee. Its membership will be allocated proportionally according to the strength of parliamentary factions, giving the anti-Netanyahu bloc, which secured 67 seats, a majority.
The committee has the authority to establish temporary and special parliamentary committees, as well as the Finance and Foreign Affairs and Defence committees. This could allow the Eisenkot-led bloc to advance key legislative priorities even before a new government is formed.
However, the committee's chairmanship would pass to another faction if Eisenkot fails to form a government and the mandate is subsequently assigned to another lawmaker. (ANI)
Israel: Abbas accuses Netanyahu of "campaign of incitement and blood libels" against Arabs
