Ra'am Chairman Abbas Calls for Opposition Unity to Replace Government

Mansour Abbas, chairman of the Ra'am party, called Tuesday night for a united front with opposition parties to bring about a government change, following the release of exit polls. The polls indicated Ra'am would secure seven seats, with Arab parties collectively gaining 17. Speaking at Ra'am's election headquarters in Sakhnin, Abbas expressed hope for an eighth seat, which he believes could be decisive in forming an alternative government. He urged cooperation with those seeking change in Israeli society, stating, "Millions of Jews voted for opposition parties, alongside hundreds of thousands of Arab voters. We need to unite our forces to achieve our goals."

Abbas welcomed the exit poll results but emphasized his anticipation of the final vote count, hoping for an additional mandate for Ra'am. "Seven, and God willing, the eighth will come," he told activists. He referenced his election campaign's political equation, suggesting that 53 opposition seats plus eight for Ra'am would enable the formation of an alternative government. "My aspiration was that the equation would be 57 plus seven, but the polls and the commitment to tell the public the truth brought us to say until the last moment: there are 53 for the opposition and we need eight for Ra'am. God willing, the 53 will grow and the seven will grow too," he added.

Yoav Segalovitz also addressed the crowd, promising to work alongside Abbas to ensure voters' voices influence the nation's future. "You have fulfilled your civic duty, but it is not over," Segalovitz stated. "After the results arrive, we will ensure your voice is equal, influential, and will determine the future of the State of Israel. I trust Mansour and the friends, and also me, that we will do everything possible to change the reality in the State of Israel."

Abbas thanked Ra'am activists and voters, including Jewish supporters who voted for the party, highlighting their role in demonstrating that Arabs and Jews can be partners. He stressed the importance of transforming electoral power into political influence to participate in governing Israel and achieve gains for the Arab community, addressing issues like crime, extortion, and home demolitions. He also celebrated the expected Knesset entries of party members, including Iman Khatib-Yassin, Yasser Hogerat, Walid Al-Huashla, and Ibrahim Al-Touri, and hoped Abd al-Karim Masri would also enter the Knesset. Abbas concluded by stating that Ra'am has not achieved its goals without effort and that the party seeks the opportunity to serve and contribute to peace.