Bennett Ignores Mansour Abbas's Palestinian State Demand, Criticizes Netanyahu Instead

Mansour Abbas, leader of the Ra'am party, called on Israel and the United States to recognize a Palestinian state and work to end what he described as the occupation during his speech at Ra'am's national conference in Tayibe. This demand sparked a political storm in Israel. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded sharply, firmly stating that no Palestinian state would be established under his leadership, especially one controlled by Iran, whether in Gaza or the West Bank.

Former Chief of Staff and current Knesset member Gadi Eizenkot also rejected Abbas's demand, emphasizing that no Palestinian state would be formed in the upcoming government. However, Eizenkot did not explicitly rule out political reliance on Ra'am. In contrast, Naftali Bennett, former Prime Minister and head of the Yamina party, who previously led a government supported by Ra'am's four Knesset seats, chose to completely ignore Abbas's statements and instead directed his criticism at Netanyahu.

Netanyahu further attacked left-wing coalition leaders, warning against political alliances with supporters of Mansour Abbas and the Balad party, highlighting the risks of a left-wing coalition involving the Muslim Brotherhood. Bennett's silence is notable given his past political reliance on Ra'am, underscoring ongoing tensions within Israeli politics ahead of the 2026 elections.