Anger in the 'Change Bloc' at Mansour Abbas: 'Friendly fire'
The renewed identification of the Ra'am chairman as a Palestinian has sparked anger in the 'Change Bloc', where he is accused of damaging the chances of forming a government. In the background lies the fear of the strengthening of the Joint List and the expected addition of Yoav Segalovitz to the list. Abbas is trying to balance between the voices of the sector and joining the coalition.
Senior members of the 'Change Bloc' have been surprised in recent days by the statements of Ra'am chairman Mansour Abbas, who identified as a Palestinian and disavowed the recognition of Israel as a Jewish state. The remarks were received with anger in the bloc, but behind them lie internal political motives related to power struggles within Arab society.
Sources in the 'Change Bloc' have expressed astonishment in recent days following a series of statements by the Ra'am chairman. Senior figures in the bloc accused Abbas of damaging the chances of establishing a government that relies on his party, and called his words 'friendly fire'.
The main reason for the radicalization in the discourse is changes in the Arab political arena, primarily the re-establishment of the Joint List. Abbas, who refused to take part in the union, is now dealing with mandate polls indicating the strengthening of the Joint List to 7 to 8 mandates. The Ra'am chairman fears that the voter turnout in the sector will rise and work in favor of his rivals, while he himself might not pass the electoral threshold.
Ultimately, Abbas is maneuvering between two conflicting pressure points. He is required to prove to the Arab voter that he is upholding his values in order to garner votes, but at the same time he must be careful not to alienate potential partners in the 'Change Bloc', without whom he will not be able to integrate into the future government.
