Muslim Brotherhood denies relations with Arab party in Israel coalition

The Muslim Brotherhood has denied that it has any relationship with the Palestinian Israeli MK Mansour Abbas, head of Ra’am or Arab United List, Al-Watan Voice reported yesterday.

The news site reported the Muslim Brotherhood said in a statement: “A number of media groups have linked the movement [Ra’am] to the Muslim Brotherhood; however, the fact is that we do not have any ideological or organisational connection with this movement.”

“The name of Mansour Abbas emerged after the battles in the blessed land had toned down and the Zionist political parties succeeded in forming a coalition to oust [Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu.”

It continued: “We do not have any relationship with this man who participated in the Knesset elections and won four seats under the name of the Islamic Movement.”

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Abbas, 47, is the deputy chairman of the southern branch of the Islamic Movement in Israel, which in 1995 split from the northern branch of the Islamic Movement led by Sheikh Raed Salah in an effort to run in Israel’s election the following year.

His party is now expected to form part of Israel’s coalition government which will be voted on by parliament on Sunday. The new government is expected to be led by ultraright-wing politician Naftali Bennett.

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