Gadi Eisenkot Denies Promising Arab Leaders to Include Ra'am in Government

A dispute has emerged over a meeting between Gadi Eisenkot, chairman of the "Yashar" party, and eight Bedouin local authority heads in northern Israel. While some attendees claimed Eisenkot pledged to work towards including the Ra'am party in his future government, his party vehemently denied these assertions. The "Yashar" party stated that any party not recognizing Hamas as a terrorist organization would be ineligible for a government led by Eisenkot.

The meeting took place in Zarzir as part of the "Shvil Israel" tour conducted by the "Yashar" party. Following the event, the party released a statement indicating that the local leaders expressed support for Eisenkot's candidacy for prime minister. The statement quoted the leaders as saying Eisenkot could bring security, combat crime, and ensure peace for the north and the entire country, praising him as a straightforward, statesmanlike, and security-experienced leader who understands the needs of the Bedouin community.

However, some participants presented a different account. Several local leaders told Channel 12 news that Eisenkot promised them he would include Ra'am in his government. Moaid Al-Hib, head of the Tuba-Zangariyye council, told Radio Al-Nass that the party's announcement was inaccurate and that they had demanded Ra'am's inclusion, which Eisenkot allegedly promised.

Al-Hib also claimed Eisenkot stated he did not intend to include Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir in his government, and that he was in contact with Ra'am and committed to bringing them into a future coalition. Journalist Muhammad Magadla initially described the alleged support for Eisenkot as a "significant blow to Ra'am," noting that most attendees were previously considered supporters of Ra'am and its leader, Mansour Abbas.

The "Yashar" party responded to the reports, calling them "lies and falsehoods" and stating the claims were never made, not even implicitly. They reiterated their clear stance that coalition partners must recognize the Declaration of Independence, Israel as a Jewish and democratic state, and the principle of "service to all." They added that parties not recognizing Hamas as a terrorist organization would not be part of their government.

Ofer Winter's "Am Israel" party criticized Eisenkot, calling his alleged promise to include the Muslim Brotherhood's Ra'am party "shameful but not surprising." The party urged Naftali Bennett and Avigdor Lieberman to declare they would not sit in a government with Mansour Abbas and warned against right-wing votes enabling Ra'am to influence decision-making.