Mansour Abbas
Mansour Abbas is an Israeli politician. He is currently the leader of the United Arab List and a Knesset Member on the party's behalf. He was appointed as the chair of Special Committee on Arab Society Affairs in the Knesset on 27 April 2021 and served as deputy Chairman of the Knesset. In 2021, Abbas made history by becoming the first Israeli political leader of Arab descent to join an Israeli governing coalition. He is a qualified dentist.
Standing...
Stories...
Sep 26, 2026
Center
The Supreme Court is set to hear petitions next week on disqualifying Balad's Abu Shkhada, MK Cassif, and the Joint List, a case touching Arab representation.
Yesh Atid opposes blanket disqualification of Arab parties as a democratic red line and worries the debate feeds Netanyahu's polarizing campaign.
Sep 26, 2026
Far Left
Abbas, Ra'am leader, has been criticized by Hadash for his willingness to cooperate with the coalition on certain issues.
Hadash views Abbas as too willing to compromise with right-wing and far-right parties, thereby undermining the collective Arab struggle.
Sep 24, 2026
Center
Ra'am was disqualified by the Central Elections Committee with Lieberman's support, and the Supreme Court is expected to overturn the ban.
Yesh Atid has built its political strategy around Abbas as a legitimate partner and condemns the disqualification as a cynical maneuver by Lieberman and the right to eliminate Arab political representation and torpedo a change government.
Sep 24, 2026
Lean Left
Abbas's Ra'am party remains a potential coalition partner for the centre-left but faces pressure from within the Arab community.
Labor and Meretz respect his pragmatic approach and willingness to work within Israeli politics, but they worry his partnership options are limited by right-wing refusal.
Sep 24, 2026
Far Left
Abbas has faced criticism from Hadash for not decisively opposing the Gaza war and for his party's participation in coalition talks with right-wing parties.
Hadash accuses Abbas of prioritizing pragmatic gains over principled opposition, weakening the Arab bloc's stance against the war.
Sep 23, 2026
Center
The disqualification of a Balad chairman allied with Abbas's Ra'am faction is being debated, with Eisenkot and Otzma Yehudit taking opposing public positions.
Yesh Atid sees Ra'am as a potential partner in blocking Netanyahu after the election, and the Balad disqualification fight risks poisoning Arab-Jewish political cooperation at exactly the wrong moment.
Sep 23, 2026
Lean Left
Abbas is signaling Ra'am's willingness to support a hostage deal and criticizing both the government's Gaza policy and far-right incitement.
Labor and Meretz respect his pragmatic role but are frustrated that Ra'am won't sit in a center-left coalition without progress on the Palestinian issue.
Sep 23, 2026
Far Left
Abbas is weighing whether Ra'am will rejoin a coalition or remain in opposition, amid pressure from his constituency over the war in Gaza.
Hadash respects Abbas's pragmatic approach but warns that Ra'am's coalition flirtations risk normalizing right-wing policies that harm the Arab public.
Sep 22, 2026
Far Left
Abbas faces criticism for his party's participation in coalition talks and his cautious stance on the war.
Hadash is critical of Abbas for prioritizing short-term gains over a clear anti-war and pro-Palestinian rights stance, and for not joining the opposition to the government's policies.
Sep 20, 2026
Far Left
Abbas, leader of Ra'am, has been criticized by some for his willingness to work with right-wing coalitions on civil issues.
Hadash appreciates Abbas's focus on civil rights but warns that cooperating with right-wing governments without a political horizon legitimizes occupation.