M’Sour Abbas, leader of the Ra’am party, is considering giving a political speech in which he will emphasize his commitment to Israel to facilitate the path to his acceptance by right-wing parties, according to a number of reports over the weekend.
Abbas’ support, probably from outside a government, is seen as extremely important for the formation of a potential coalition after the March 23 election. But right-wing parties did not have the opportunity to cooperate with the Islamic, non-Zionist party. Religious Zionism, led by Bezalel Smotrich, completely ruled out the possibility. Some right-wingers accuse Abbas of being a supporter of the Hamas terrorist group.
According to reports on Channel 13 and Kan, Abbas is weighing a speech in which he will reject terrorism and assure the general public of his commitment to the country. According to Kan, it was Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud who insisted for such a speech to put pressure on Smotrich to agree to work with Abbas.
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Abbas already gave an important speech on April 1, in which he called for Jewish-Arab coexistence in Israel ‘based on mutual respect and genuine equality’.
According to Channel 13, Abbas said in closed-door talks that he preferred a right-wing government led by Netanyahu, who he said was better able to help his constituency than one made up of parties from across the political spectrum.
FILE – In this file from February 16, 2021, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visits the vaccination facility for Leumit Health Care Services in Jerusalem (Alex Kolomoisky / Pool via AP, File)
Netanyahu had the task this week of forming a government through President Reuven Rivlin. He currently has the support of 52 lawmakers and is in talks with Naftali Bennett of Yamina. Bennett’s support would put him at 59, making him dependent on Abbas with Raam’s four seats to gain a majority in the 120-sear Knesset.
If he fails, the next possible option appears to be a power-sharing government between right, left and center, with Bennett as prime minister in a rotation deal with Yesh Atid’s Yair Lapid. Such a coalition, made up of parties from Meretz on the left to Gideon Sa’ar’s New Hope on the right, would need Abbas’ support or the Joint List party to reach a majority.
Meanwhile, Smotrich of Religious Zionism on Friday expressed optimism that Netanyahu’s right-wing rivals would abandon their opposition to joining a government led by the sitting prime minister.
“A government that relies on terrorist supporters and terrorists is not a ‘right-wing government’ but a bloodthirsty government,” Smotrich wrote on Twitter, referring to Ra’am.
MK Betzalel Smotrich. (Yossi Aloni / Flash90)
He said that such a government would ‘lead to the fall of the right and the rise of the left’, declaring that he was ‘proud’ to oppose it and to do everything possible to prevent its formation.
“Since the election, I have worked tirelessly to form a real right-wing government led by Netanyahu,” Smotrich said. ‘If no such government is formed, the blame will only be on the shoulders of the right who do not understand the seriousness of the hour; [their] ambitions, rivalries and personal boycotts to put together in the best and most natural government for Israel. ”
His remarks appear at the New Hope party, which is campaigning for Netanyahu’s replacement. The party, led by former Likud minister Sa’ar, has reiterated that it will not join a Netanyahu-led government since the March 23 election.
“I am optimistic,” Smotrich said, adding that a right-wing government could be formed “without haters of Israel and terrorist supporters.”
If Netanyahu fails to form a government, the president can order a second person (for another 28 days and a possible additional 14), or return the mandate to the Knesset and the legislature. 21 days to vote on a candidate supported by 61 MKs.
Frame party leader Mansour Abbas at the party’s headquarters in Tamra on election night, 23 March 2021. (Flash90)
If the president appoints a second person and the person does not form a coalition, the mandate automatically returns to the Knesset for a period of 21 days. During that time, any MK may be eligible to form a government.
Rivlin has indicated that he may not give the mandate to a second candidate if Netanyahu fails, but will immediately send it back to the Knesset.
At the end of the 21-day period, if 61 MKs have not agreed on a candidate, the new Knesset will automatically go out and leave the country after another election, the fifth in less than three years.
