Avi Shoshan Revises View on Mansour Abbas After Watching Documentary on Channel 14

During a recent broadcast of the program "The Patriots" on Channel 14, panelist Avi Shoshan revealed that he changed his opinion about Mansour Abbas, the leader of the Ra'am party. Previously, Shoshan viewed Abbas as a moderate figure, distinct from other Arab Israeli politicians like Ahmad Tibi and Ayman Odeh. However, after watching a documentary by Channel 14's Arab affairs correspondent Omri Haim titled "Mansour Abbas - The Polite Jihad," Shoshan confronted a deep internal contradiction regarding Abbas's true positions.

Shoshan, who has worked with Arabs for 14 years and denies harboring any hatred towards them, initially believed that most people desire peace and coexistence. He had seen Abbas as someone promoting positive messages. Yet, the documentary exposed Abbas's stances on sensitive issues such as the "right of return," "return marches," and house demolitions, which challenged Shoshan's earlier assumptions.

Addressing Abbas directly, Shoshan expressed feeling like a "useful idiot" for having supported him and urged Abbas to clarify whether his approach was a long-term Islamic strategy to lull Israeli society for 100 years. He challenged Abbas to publicly affirm that Israel will remain a Jewish state not only for the near future but also for the next century, expressing doubt that Abbas would agree to such a declaration.

This candid admission by Shoshan highlights the complexities and suspicions surrounding Mansour Abbas's political role and the broader discourse on Arab-Israeli relations within Israel.