Netanyahu Ally Held Secret Talks With Arab Party Leader
Translated & summarized from N12 by baba
Nathan Effel, a close associate of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, secretly negotiated with Mansour Abbas, chairman of the Ra'am party, before and after the elections. Effel tried to prevent Ra'am from supporting a government led by Gadi Eisenkot. The Likud party stated that Netanyahu was surprised by these contacts and they were not made with his knowledge.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Nathan Effel, close to PM Netanyahu, secretly met with Ra'am leader Mansour Abbas.
- Effel tried to stop Ra'am from supporting a government led by Gadi Eisenkot.
- Effel's contacts occurred before and after the recent Israeli elections.
- The Likud party stated Netanyahu was unaware of Effel's meetings with Abbas.
- Netanyahu publicly campaigns against reliance on Arab parties.
While Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu publicly denounces reliance on Arab parties, one of his closest confidants, Nathan Effel, engaged in back-channel negotiations 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, the head of the Yesh Atid party.
Effel's inquiries included asking Abbas if 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 the possibility of Ra'am's support for such a 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 to learn of these exchanges and that they were not conducted with his knowledge. The report highlights a stark contrast between Netanyahu's public rhetoric against depending on Arab parties and Effel's behind-the-scenes attempts to influence Ra'am's political stance.
