Netanyahu Actively Sought Ra'am Support for Government, Ex-Minister Claims

Former Interior Minister Ayelet Shaked revealed in a special interview that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu actively worked to form a government with the support of Mansour Abbas, chairman of the Ra'am party, and even asked Naftali Bennett to advance the plan. Shaked stated that Netanyahu presented Abbas as a serious and brave leader with whom cooperation was possible, and that only Bezalel Smotrich's opposition ultimately prevented the government's formation.

Shaked recounted a conversation between Netanyahu and Bennett following the 2021 elections, when Netanyahu's bloc had 59 seats and Gideon Sa'ar refused to join. According to Shaked, Netanyahu told Bennett, "Listen, we have 59 seats, Gideon Sa'ar is absolutely unwilling to join, and we have no choice, we must form a government with Mansour Abbas. Don't worry, Mansour Abbas is a serious man, he's a leader, he's brave, a government can be formed with him."

Shaked confirmed that Netanyahu had indeed asked Bennett to advance this move. She said that Bennett called her immediately after the meeting, telling her, "Listen, we need to form a government with Mansour Abbas." The former minister added that the possibility of forming a government with Ra'am's support was not surprising to her at the time, as "it was no longer a secret."

Shaked also mentioned that Channel 14 began preparing the public for this move around that time. Netanyahu had also asked her and Bennett to speak with Religious Zionist rabbis to promote and soften the public's stance on forming such a government. Responding to repeated denials from Netanyahu and his circle about intending to rely on Abbas, Shaked asserted, "Yes, there is nothing to deny, that was the reality." She emphasized, "That was the plan, he had no other plan. I tried to bring Gideon Sa'ar without success, and at a certain point, Smotrich simply put the brakes on it."