Ra'am Leader Abbas Blames Netanyahu for Party's Election Disqualification

Ra'am party chairman Mansour Abbas responded Wednesday for the first time to the Central Elections Committee's decision to disqualify his party from running in the 26th Knesset elections. Abbas directly accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of orchestrating the disqualification, claiming it was intended to prevent the formation of an alternative government after the elections.

Addressing Netanyahu as "Abu Yair," Abbas contrasted the current situation with past elections, stating that Netanyahu had previously cooperated with Ra'am and even negotiated with him personally, hoping to form a government together. "Abu Yair... understands today that his only way to prevent the establishment of the next "change government" is by disqualifying Ra'am," Abbas asserted.

Abbas condemned the disqualification as a "political, invalid, and anti-democratic decision" made against the Attorney General's position, based on "false accusations and fabrications." He vowed to challenge the decision in the High Court of Justice, expressing confidence in overturning it as Ra'am had done previously.

He further framed the disqualification within Ra'am's broader agenda of promoting "partnership and coexistence between Arabs and Jews." Abbas urged both Arabs and Jews to participate in the elections, presenting his party's political goal as replacing the current government, which he called "the worst in the country's history."