President Herzog Refuses to Denounce Arab Party Ra'am

Israeli President Isaac Herzog refused to condemn the Arab political party Ra'am during a televised interview, stating it was not his role to pass judgment on parties running for the Knesset. During a special holiday interview with Mako Tביבי on Channel 14, Tביבי pressed Herzog on Ra'am's participation in elections, questioning how a party whose leader has met with Hamas and Islamic Jihad officials can run for parliament without condemning terrorist organizations like Hamas and Hezbollah.

Hersog deflected the questions, accusing Tביבי of trying to "drag him" into making statements against Ra'am's leader, Mansour Abbas. He emphasized that the Supreme Court had approved Ra'am's eligibility to run and that the political system, across all factions, engages with the party. "There is no chance I will answer you," Herzog stated firmly.

Tביבי insisted she was not trying to trap him but sought his stance on the issue, highlighting Abbas's 2018 meeting in Turkey with leaders of Hamas and Islamic Jihad. Herzog expressed discomfort with the line of questioning, noting it was inappropriate to discuss specific leaders during an interview preceding Yom Kippur.

When asked if he considered Ra'am a worthy party, Herzog reiterated his refusal to engage, stating, "I do not intend to get into these questions." Tביבי concluded the exchange by noting his refusal to condemn the party, to which Herzog implicitly agreed by stating, "But that's fine, not from the President of the state."