Mansour Abbas: Israel's Arab Politics Pragmatist
Translated & summarized from i24NEWS French by baba
Mansour Abbas, leader of the Raam party, has significantly altered Israeli Arab politics through a pragmatic approach, prioritizing coalition participation over opposition. In 2021, Raam joined the government for the first time, helping to oust Benjamin Netanyahu. Abbas faces criticism but believes in achieving results through power. Ahead of the October 2026 elections, Raam, polling around five seats, could be crucial in forming a majority government.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Mansour Abbas's Raam party joined an Israeli coalition in 2021, a first for an independent Arab party.
- Abbas prioritizes pragmatic coalition participation over permanent opposition to achieve gains for Arab citizens.
- Raam's inclusion in the 2021 government helped remove Benjamin Netanyahu from power.
- Abbas has placed a former police official on his list for the October 2026 elections to broaden appeal.
- Raam, polling around five seats, may hold the balance of power in the upcoming election.
Mansour Abbas, born in 1974 in Galilee, is a dentist by training who rose to lead the southern branch of the Israeli Islamic Movement, which forms the basis of the Raam party (United Arab List). He took leadership of Raam in 2018 and entered the Knesset in 2019. Abbas has reshaped Israeli Arab politics by prioritizing a pragmatic approach over permanent opposition. His strategy involves leveraging his community's electoral power to secure budgets, improve infrastructure, and combat crime in Arab towns.
In 2021, Abbas broke from the Joint List and made an unprecedented move by bringing Raam into the coalition led by Naftali Bennett and Yaïr Lapid. This marked the first time an independent Arab party joined an Israeli governing coalition, contributing to Benjamin Netanyahu's removal from power. The decision drew criticism from some Arab voters who felt he was endorsing policies in the West Bank, and from the right, concerned about Islamist influence on national decisions.
Abbas defends his strategy, believing participation in government yields more than protest. He supports a Palestinian state and opposes settlement expansion. Following the October 7 attacks, he condemned violence against civilians and called for an end to the Gaza war, while maintaining his commitment to Jewish-Arab political cooperation.
In August 2026, Abbas again surprised observers by placing Yoav Segalovitz, a former Yesh Atid lawmaker and police official known for fighting organized crime in Arab society, second on his list. This unusual alliance aims to broaden Raam's appeal and facilitate its return to a coalition. However, it has deepened divisions with other Arab parties, who accuse him of prioritizing compromise with Zionist parties over common Arab political representation.
As the October 27, 2026 elections approach, Abbas aims to be a kingmaker again. Despite some opposition leaders refusing to govern with Raam, the party, polling around five seats, could hold the balance of power. His primary challenge remains convincing the public that his pragmatism can deliver tangible results.
Mentioned
