Gadi Eisenkot Rules Out Arab Party Ra'am from Government Over Hamas Stance

Gadi Eisenkot, chairman of the National Unity party, stated on Channel 12's 'Meet the Press' that the Arab party Ra'am will not be part of his government. This decision stems from Ra'am leader Mansour Abbas's refusal to define Hamas as a terrorist organization.

Eisenkot outlined three core principles for his government: Jewish and democratic values, adherence to the Declaration of Independence, and the obligation of military service. He recently added a fourth condition: recognizing Hamas as a terrorist organization that must be destroyed. Eisenkot noted that currently, no Arab or Haredi party, including Ra'am, accepts all these conditions, thus precluding Abbas from joining the government.

While Mansour Abbas has repeatedly condemned the October 7th massacre, he has avoided explicitly labeling Hamas as a terrorist group. In a recent interview with Channel 12, Abbas explained his dilemma: stating Hamas should be destroyed could be interpreted as advocating for the destruction of two million Palestinians in Gaza, while calling them not a terrorist organization would make him an enemy of the people. His list partner, Yoav Segalovitz, affirmed in the same interview that Hamas is indeed a terrorist organization that must be destroyed.