Ra'am Secretary-General Accused of Inciting Youth at Al-Aqsa
Translated & summarized from Now 14 by baba
Ra'am party's Secretary-General, Daoud Affan, is accused of inciting youth at Al-Aqsa Mosque with anti-Zionist rhetoric. The allegations, linked to his role in an Islamic Movement association, highlight a perceived discrepancy between the party's public image and its alleged private messaging. Despite disqualification attempts based on alleged ties to terrorism and extremist statements, Israel's Supreme Court ultimately allowed Ra'am to run in the Knesset elections.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Ra'am Secretary-General Daoud Affan allegedly incited youth at Al-Aqsa Mosque with anti-Zionist rhetoric.
- Affan reportedly warned against "Zionist plots" and used slogans like "With spirit and blood we will redeem Al-Aqsa."
- The report claims Ra'am's public messages differ from alleged private statements by party leaders.
- Allegations include Mansour Abbas's past statements on "canceling the state's Jewishness."
- Ra'am was initially disqualified from elections but the Supreme Court overturned the decision.
- The Supreme Court ruled evidence did not meet the legal threshold for disqualification.
Daoud Affan, the Secretary-General of the Ra'am party and a close associate of its chairman Mansour Abbas, is accused of inciting youth at the Al-Aqsa Mosque. As head of the Islamic Movement's "Al-Qalam" association, Affan allegedly warned young people about "Zionist plots" to take over the Temple Mount, reportedly using inflammatory rhetoric such as "With spirit and blood we will redeem Al-Aqsa."
The allegations stem from Affan's activities as head of "Al-Qalam," described as an "educational" association under the Islamic Movement that engages with youth and strengthens their connection to Al-Aqsa. Within this framework, Affan allegedly gathered young people at the mosque to instill a narrative of supposed Zionist conspiracies aimed at controlling the site.
This exposure of Affan's alleged activities aligns with a broader ideological pattern attributed to the Islamic Movement and Ra'am, where statements made in Arabic reportedly contradict the "moderate" messages presented to the public in Hebrew. The report cites past statements by Mansour Abbas, including that "canceling the state's Jewishness could be excellent," and that his recognition of Israel as a Jewish state was a political necessity to prevent his party's disqualification from elections.
Furthermore, the article claims Abbas has consistently avoided directly condemning Hamas and has refused to answer questions about supporting Hamas's elimination after the October 7th massacre, sometimes ending interviews abruptly. Abbas has also reportedly participated in public conferences in Turkey and joint events with leaders of Hamas and Islamic Jihad. The report also alleges that "Siyua'd 48," an official charity arm of the Islamic Movement and Ra'am, transferred significant funds to Hamas-affiliated organizations, which allegedly reached terrorist operatives in Gaza.
These alleged connections and statements led to disqualification requests against Ra'am for the 26th Knesset elections, filed by the Likud party, the Otzma Yehudit party, and the "Choosing Life" forum of bereaved families. The Central Elections Committee disqualified Ra'am's list with an 18-5 vote, citing support for armed struggle and concealment of extremist positions. However, the Supreme Court unanimously overturned this decision, ruling that the presented evidence, including financial links and ideological statements, did not meet the strict legal threshold for disqualification, stating that a "critical mass" of active efforts to destroy the state or support terrorism was not proven. Consequently, the article concludes, these alleged inflammatory messages are now entering the Israeli parliament.
Mentioned
