Ra'am Leader Mansour Abbas Admits Recognizing Jewish State Was Tactical to Enter Knesset

Mansour Abbas, chairman of the Ra'am party, publicly clarified his stance on Israel's Jewish identity and Palestinian national narrative in a recent Arabic-language post. Abbas revealed that his recognition of Israel as a Jewish state was not a genuine ideological shift but a forced condition to avoid disqualification from running in Knesset elections. He stated, "We had to accept this so we would not be disqualified from running for the Knesset."

Abbas addressed past statements in which he referred to "Zionist gangs that occupied Palestine," emphasizing that his recent toned-down rhetoric does not indicate denial of his Palestinian national narrative or the Nakba. He condemned accusations that he denies the Nakba and Palestinian displacement as fabrications. Abbas explained that his current political approach, termed the "partnership and influence strategy," is a tactical effort to gain political power within Israel's system to advance Palestinian national goals.

He argued that adopting a different political language and strategy could better express the truth of the Nakba, learn from historical experience, and present a practical vision for the future. Abbas envisions using political influence to address ongoing injustices, prevent further displacement, and rewrite the future narrative Palestinians aspire to.

These statements come weeks after a series of investigative reports titled "The Masked Jihad" aired on Channel 14, which scrutinized Abbas's positions. Concurrently, Abbas has called on Israel and the United States to recognize a Palestinian state and end the occupation. At Ra'am's national conference in Tayibe, he reiterated his nationalist demands while expressing a desire to regain influence within the Israeli coalition government. Abbas stated, "The State of Palestine exists and is recognized by most of the world except the US and Israel. We want them to recognize it too and are working toward peace, reconciliation, and ending the occupation and conflict."

For Abbas, political partnership within Israel is a means to achieve these national objectives.