Ra'am Party chief refuses to condemn Hamas as terror group

During an interview with Israeli radio station Kan Reshet Bet, United Arab List (Ra’am) Party Chairman Mansour Abbas refused to unequivocally condemn Hamas as a terrorist organization that massacred Israeli citizens on October 7, 2023, and needs to be eliminated. Interviewer Esti Perez-Ben Ami repeatedly pressed Abbas, who responded by stating his party has condemned "every act of terrorism" and the "crimes of Oct. 7," but declined to directly label Hamas as a terror group. Abbas suggested that such questions were "purity tests" and attempts to delegitimize his party and its supporters, whom he described as "normative, law-abiding citizens" seeking peace. His refusal to provide a direct answer, stating, "I don't want to give you an unequivocal answer," has drawn criticism from right-wing politicians, including National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, and could impact Ra'am's electoral prospects in the upcoming national elections, where it is considered a potential coalition partner.