Ra'am Leader Mansour Abbas Signals No Palestinian State Recognition Demand in Coalition Talks

Mansour Abbas, chairman of the Ra'am party, conveyed to leaders of the Israeli opposition bloc known as the "Change Bloc" that Ra'am will not demand recognition of a Palestinian state or similar language in coalition negotiations. While Abbas affirmed that recognizing Palestine remains a principled party stance, it will not translate into a political demand during talks. Abbas also reached a preliminary agreement with former Knesset member Yoav Segalovich regarding Segalovich's inclusion on Ra'am's candidate list, with a meeting planned this week to finalize details. Key unresolved issues include Segalovich's request for some voting freedom on security matters and coordination during the election campaign.

Abbas's message follows his statement at Ra'am's general conference in Tayibe, where he declared that "the State of Palestine exists and is recognized worldwide except by the United States and Israel." He emphasized Ra'am's goal to foster peace between Palestinians and Israelis, describing Arab Palestinian citizens of Israel as a bridge to peace. In response, former IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot stated publicly that "there is no Palestinian state, and in the government we form, no Palestinian state will be established."

At the conference, Abbas also reiterated Ra'am's clear position to replace the current "fascist and racist government" with a change government in which Ra'am would be a partner, aiming to ensure the right-wing's defeat. Regarding Segalovich's addition to the party list, Abbas expressed hope to present him as a candidate soon, noting that the top five candidates have been chosen and that the party conference agreed to potentially add more representatives within the top five slots.

This development comes as Ra'am prepares for the upcoming Knesset elections, signaling strategic moves to strengthen its position within the opposition coalition while maintaining its core political principles.