Ra’am leader Mansour Abbas denies any commitment on Hamas
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Al Jazeera
According to Ynet, Mansour Abbas, leader of the Arab party Ra’am, is reportedly ready to classify Hamas as a terrorist organisation in return for a genuine partnership in Gadi Eisenkot’s coalition. On Wednesday, however, he denied making any statement about Hamas, saying he had merely reaffirmed his party’s support for its disarmament, according to Al Jazeera.
In Israel, Mansour Abbas, leader of the Ra’am party (United Arab List), which represents Palestinian citizens of Israel, denied on Wednesday having made a statement about Hamas, Al Jazeera reports. He says he merely reaffirmed his party’s support for the disarmament of Hamas and condemned 'terrorism'.
According to the Israeli site Ynet, Mr Abbas reportedly told parties opposed to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that he would accept classifying Hamas as a terrorist organisation in exchange for a 'genuine partnership' in a coalition led by Gadi Eisenkot. The latter is tasked with forming a government after the legislative elections in October.
Gadi Eisenkot makes this recognition a condition of entry into the coalition. He also demands that Mr Abbas recognise Israel as a Jewish and democratic state, even though he is himself a Palestinian citizen of Israel.
Analyst Ehab Jabareen, also a Palestinian citizen of Israel, believes these conditions are intended to make the partnership acceptable to Eisenkot’s Jewish supporters. Ra’am holds eight seats in the Knesset, a contribution that would make it easier to form a viable coalition.
On 14 November, Benjamin Netanyahu renewed his call for a unity government with Eisenkot. In early November, two Arab lists had already backed Eisenkot.
