Ra'am Leader Mansour Abbas Refuses to Comment on Hamas Amid Threats to His Life

Mansour Abbas, chairman of the Ra'am party and member of the Knesset, declined to state his position on Hamas during a Tuesday interview on Kan Reshet Bet's "Midday" program, citing ongoing threats to his life from Arabs, Jews, and criminal organizations. Abbas emphasized that he has a clear answer but chose not to share it publicly due to these threats. He condemned all acts of terror and crimes committed on October 7, both from a civilian and Islamic religious perspective, and warned against testing loyalty among Arab Israelis, calling it a trap set by Israeli extremists.

Regarding the upcoming elections, Abbas indicated that the likely scenario involves three united Arab parties alongside Ra'am. He criticized the right-wing campaign for focusing on the potential government coalition with Arab parties to divert attention from its failures. Abbas stated that political negotiations have always existed and will continue, expressing Ra'am's desire to influence policy and hold positions of power in the future, unlike in the past when they chose to be part of the coalition but not the government.

This is not the first time Abbas has mentioned receiving death threats; in November, he told the Knesset that he and his family were threatened. Earlier this year, he abruptly ended a Kan News interview when asked about destroying Hamas for Gaza's future, stating the interview was turning into an interrogation. He clarified later that his vision aligns with former President Trump's plan, advocating for a new political and security reality in Gaza, including international forces replacing Hamas and training Palestinian forces to govern, aiming for peace and reconciliation between the peoples. Abbas rejected expectations that he would speak like far-right Israeli politicians.

Knesset members who heard Abbas's remarks described his tone as unusually angry, reflecting the pressure he faces amid the volatile political and security environment.