Netanyahu attacks Arab parties as ally seeks to block their support for Eisenkot

Natan Eshel, a close associate of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, repeatedly contacted United Arab List leader Mansour Abbas before and after the Israeli elections in an attempt to prevent the party from supporting a government led by Yashar Party leader Gadi Eisenkot, Israel’s Channel 12 reported on Monday.

According to the report, Eshel repeatedly asked Abbas whether the United Arab List would support Eisenkot in the Knesset and tried to persuade him not to do so, as Netanyahu publicly campaigns against the possibility of the next government relying on Arab parties. 

One of the first contacts concerned the conscription law. Eshel asked Abbas whether he would allow Eisenkot to pass the legislation in the Knesset. Abbas replied: “We will wait for the election results and decide accordingly.”

The report said Netanyahu’s circle was closely monitoring the possibility that the United Arab List might help such a move, with concern.

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Eshel did not stop there. He contacted Abbas again immediately after the election results were announced and asked: “Will you help Eisenkot?” However, the United Arab List chose not to respond to his call.

After the elections, as Netanyahu launched a campaign against the change camp, accusing it of seeking to rely on Arab parties, Eshel contacted Abbas again and posed another question: “Will you help Eisenkot in the Knesset, even though he does not want you in the governing coalition?”

The report said these contacts are not merely a marginal communication channel between a Netanyahu associate and the head of the United Arab List. It noted that political contacts between Netanyahu and Abbas began in 2019 and later developed into an important political channel that also extended to the prime minister’s residence in Jerusalem. Eshel was the one who initiated it.

The United Arab List has currently chosen not to respond to Eshel’s calls, but has not completely closed the door on further contact.

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