Ra'am Leader Mansour Abbas Refuses to Condemn Hamas as Terrorist Group

Mansour Abbas, chairman of the Ra'am party and member of the Knesset, declined to directly label Hamas as a terrorist organization that should be destroyed during a Tuesday interview on Kan Reshet Bet. Despite repeated questioning by the interviewer, Abbas avoided giving a clear answer. Earlier in the interview, he stated that Ra'am condemned the October 7 attacks and all acts of terrorism, emphasizing the party's efforts to maintain relations and work toward the release of hostages.

When pressed on whether Hamas is a terrorist group that must be eliminated, Abbas said it was unwise to put him through such tests, arguing that these questions serve his political opponents and harm his ability to act as a bridge for reconciliation and peace. He reiterated that he had a definitive answer but chose not to share it, citing his own considerations and value system. Abbas criticized the framing of the question as an attempt to impose loyalty tests and accused critics of trying to portray him as a supporter of terrorism, which he rejected as an incorrect approach.