Islamist Arab Ra’am party says it is transitioning to broad Israeli civil party, seeks inclusion of Jewish politicians

Mansour Abbas, head of the Ra’am (United Arab List) party, announced that the party would allow Jewish candidates to run for the Knesset for the first time and will begin actively seeking Jewish votes – a move that would turn Ra’am into an all-Israeli party, he said in an interview with 103 FM on Monday.

During the interview, Abbas – who is not related to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas – said the party would separate from its Islamic shura (guidance) council and establish itself as an independent civil party.

“Ra’am is embarking on a new path and establishing its institutions as an independent civil party, in the sense that every citizen of the State of Israel, Jewish and Arab, can join Ra’am, take part in it, and run for the Knesset,” he said.

It is not clear if the move involves a change in any of Ra’am’s traditional positions. The party's roots lie in the Islamist ideology of the Muslim Brotherhood (MB), and it supports the establishment of a Palestinian state in the territory of Judea and Samaria, to include Gaza as well. It also opposes Jewish settlement in those territories. 

Ra’am has argued for the so-called “right of return” for Palestinians living abroad, a move that is opposed by virtually every Jewish party across the political spectrum. Ra’am also calls for the release of the Palestinian security prisoners as part of the establishment of a Palestinian state. 

Abbas' announcement comes after Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised U.S. President Donald Trump for deciding to outlaw the Islamist Muslim Brotherhood organization in the U.S. in November.

In a hint widely interpreted as a signal to Ra'am, he added, “This is an organization that endangers stability throughout the Middle East and beyond the Middle East. Therefore, the State of Israel has already outlawed part of the organization, and we are working to complete this action soon,” he said.

Ra'am emerged from a split in the Muslim Brotherhood's Israeli branch, when its founder shifted toward more peaceful and charitable activities after serving time in an Israeli prison.

The northern part of the Muslim Brotherhood continued on a radical course and was outlawed in 2015 due to its ties to Hamas and the broader Muslim Brotherhood movement.

The southern branch, however, followed the political route, and its political wing, the Ra’am Party, ran in several elections together with the other Arab parties starting from the '90s, until it even joined the government in 2021.

The split from its Islamic shura (guidance) council is seen as a move to separate the party from Islamist religious influence and the last vestiges of Muslim Brotherhood ideology.

Regarding his party’s announcement that it is open to accepting Jewish politicians, Abbas was asked if there are already Jewish politicians considering joining. 

“There are Knesset members today, Jews, who are worthy in my opinion, and I would be honored if they joined the Ra’am,” he said, without mentioning any specific names. 

Despite having partnered with the previous government, Abbas clarified that there is currently no discussion with the Likud about future cooperation. 

“There is no such thing. These people (Likud) abandoned us in favor of extremist sectoral parties. Today, we are suffering from the policies of Religious Zionism and Jewish Power.” 

Abbas also addressed the wave of criminal violence affecting the Arab sector and criticized the performance of National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir. Citing anonymous sources within the Ministry of National Security, Abbas claimed, “I was told from within the ministry that he smiles when he hears about a murder here and there. Ben Gvir is not a statesman, he comes with a predatory approach.”

Abbas also criticized Ben Gvir’s hands-on approach to managing the Israel Police, which was placed under his jurisdiction as part of the coalition agreements. 

“From a professional point of view, he is not capable of leading the ministry to a place where it will function,” he stated. “He has no systemic vision and he is getting involved in the work of the police. What is he among the police? It's like the Minister of Health entering an operating room.” 

Abbas said that Arab society in Israel is experiencing the "most difficult period" under the current government, accusing the government of neglect. 

“We ended 2025 with 267 murdered. There is a social responsibility towards Arab society, but there is also a state responsibility,” Abbas argued. “The state cannot allow criminal organizations to create a state within a state. They collect protection, which is analogous to the issue of taxes, there is a kind of partial sovereignty of the criminal organizations.” 

Asked about violent elements in Muslim culture, Abbas said that religious leaders are working hard to deal with the phenomenon. 

“Muslim religious leaders are doing everything they can, but you cannot solve a problem with a criminal organization,” he responded. “There is crime that is 'cultural' such as femicide and domestic violence against the background of 'desecration of family honor' – we deal with it, religious leaders explain that religion abhors this expression.”