Netanyahu Ally Held Secret Talks With Arab Party Leader
Translated & summarized from Mako by baba
Nathan Effel, a close associate of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, secretly contacted Mansour Abbas, chairman of the Ra'am party, to prevent Ra'am from supporting a government led by Gadi Eisenkot. Effel's inquiries, made before and after the elections, aimed to gauge Ra'am's intentions regarding potential coalition support. The Likud party stated Netanyahu was unaware of these discussions.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Nathan Effel, Netanyahu ally, secretly contacted Ra'am leader Mansour Abbas before and after elections.
- Effel tried to prevent Ra'am from supporting a government led by Gadi Eisenkot.
- Effel asked Abbas if Ra'am would help Eisenkot pass legislation.
- The Likud party stated Prime Minister Netanyahu was surprised by the contacts.
- Effel initially denied the talks but later confirmed asking about Ra'am's self-respect.
While Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu publicly denounces reliance on Arab parties, a close confidant, Nathan Effel, engaged in back-channel communications with Mansour Abbas, the chairman of the Ra'am party. Effel repeatedly approached Abbas both before and after the recent elections, attempting to dissuade Ra'am from supporting a government led by Gadi Eisenkot, head of the Yesh Atid party.
Effel's inquiries focused on whether Ra'am would assist Eisenkot in passing legislation, such as the conscription law, despite Eisenkot's stated opposition to including them in a coalition. These efforts suggest concern within Netanyahu's circle about Ra'am's potential influence on a non-Likud government.
Initially, Effel denied the contacts, but after being presented with evidence, he stated that he had asked Arab individuals if they possessed "a shred of self-respect" and would support someone who did not want them in a coalition. Abbas reportedly responded that they would "do what is good for us."
The Likud party issued a statement saying Prime Minister Netanyahu was surprised by the exchanges and that they were not conducted with his knowledge. Effel, a former chief of staff to Netanyahu, has a history of significant political contact with Abbas, dating back to 2019.
