Ra’am Leader Refuses to Label Hamas a Terror Group During Presidential Consultations

MK Mansour Abbas, the head of the Ra’am party, declined to formally designate Hamas as a terror group during consultations with President Isaac Herzog on Thursday. The Ra’am chief explained that he wished to maintain his party's role as a bridge to the Palestinian community. He also cited potential dangers to himself and his family as a key reason for his reluctance to adopt the specific terminology.

This exchange occurred on the second day of President Herzog’s post-election meetings with various party leaders. The purpose of these consultations is to gather recommendations on which figure the president should task with the responsibility of forming a new government. During the meeting, Abbas recommended Gadi Eisenkot, the leader of the Yashar party. Eisenkot has previously stated that recognizing Hamas as a terror group is a necessary condition for any party seeking to join a government under his leadership.

When Herzog directly asked Abbas whether he considers Hamas a terrorist organization, the Ra’am leader noted his movement’s long-standing opposition to political violence. He expressed frustration with the recurring nature of the question, stating that it is impossible to constantly put his party to this loyalty test. Abbas also reaffirmed his support for US President Donald Trump’s peace plan for Gaza. He described his vision as a two-state solution where Hamas and all other armed organizations are disarmed.

Eyal Shviki, the director general of the President’s Residence, pressed Abbas on why he does not simply answer the skeptics by calling Hamas a terrorist organization. Abbas replied that he has an unequivocal answer but wants to preserve the space to act as a bridge and influence the other side. He warned against destroying that bridge, saying they should not be turned into terror supporters or traitors.

Abbas emphasized the personal stakes involved, asking Herzog to allow him the space to protect himself and his family. He described the issue of labeling Hamas as a matter of life or death. This diplomatic caution contrasts with the political pressure faced by Arab-led parties following the recent elections.

Ra’am won eight seats in the Knesset election held on October 27. The Joint List, another Arab-majority party, secured 11 seats. Both parties benefited from unprecedented Arab voter turnout, which has positioned them as potential kingmakers in the government formation process. The Joint List, which is more secular and nationalist, has also indicated it would recommend Eisenkot. Although it does not plan to join the government, the Joint List has pledged a conditional safety net for any administration that unseats Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

In contrast, Ra’am seeks to join an Eisenkot-led government. The party placed Yoav Segalovitz, a former lawmaker and senior police officer, in the number two spot on its list. Ra’am is a historically Islamist party that was part of the change government that temporarily removed Netanyahu from power between 2021 and 2022.

Prime Minister Netanyahu and his supporters have characterized both Arab parties as illegitimate and supportive of terrorism. Despite Ra’am’s previous participation in a government and Netanyahu’s own past attempts to form a coalition with them, his Likud party has accused the Arab-led parties of stealing the election through bribes. While this claim currently lacks evidentiary basis, two investigations into limited cases of suspected fraud are ongoing.

In a video statement released hours before his meeting with Abbas, Netanyahu warned that Islamist parties supporting terrorism threaten Israel from within. He argued that radical Islam is a challenge that tears countries apart in Europe and threatens Israel through Iran and its proxies, as well as through domestic political parties. He claimed these parties seek to erase Israel’s Jewish identity and deprive the state of the ability to defend itself.

Netanyahu reiterated his call for a broad national government under his leadership, asserting that a government relying on radical Islam would fail to fight external enemies and would tear the country apart from within. Zionist opposition leaders have rejected the prospect of a unity government with Netanyahu and his far-right allies, whom the prime minister has vowed to include in any future coalition he leads.