Ra’am Chairman Mansour Abbas Announces Retirement from Knesset

Mansour Abbas, chairman of the United Arab List (Ra'am), announced in an interview with Independent Arabia that the upcoming elections will mark his final run for the Knesset. Abbas stated that he intends to step down to make way for the party's younger leadership. Describing the current Israeli government as "racist and fascist," Abbas expressed his party's desire to replace it with a "government of change" in which Ra'am could hold an influential position to benefit Arab society. He noted that Ra'am aims to serve as the necessary complementary bloc to secure a coalition of more than 61 seats. Addressing diplomatic concerns, Abbas claimed that the extreme right in Israel is attempting to force the public into despair regarding the two-state solution. He argued that the majority of Israeli society believes in separation between Israelis and Palestinians, asserting that the Palestinian state has already been established and holds international recognition, requiring only practical implementation on the ground.