Ministers decry Mansour Abbas for calling on Palestinians to lay down arms

Two far-right ministers and one Likud minister attacked Ra’am leader Mansour Abbas on Saturday night after he called on armed Palestinian factions to lay down their arms in a Friday CNN interview.

“I think the armed Palestinian factions need to stop using weapons and turn to a diplomatic project with the Palestinian Authority to strengthen the chances of a Palestinian state and announce an inclusive and permanent ceasefire to bring about peace and an end to this conflict,” he said.

After the comment drew outrage from Palestinians and Abbas’s Arab constituents, Ra’am published a clarification in his name, saying that when a Palestinian state is established, it will be the one to hold the weapons.

Complaints about Abbas

When Shabbat ended, various coalition ministers and MKs attacked Abbas for his remarks.

Energy Minister Israel Katz said: “Abbas thinks we’re stupid and that he’ll trick us with smooth but empty words,” and claimed that “In the morning, he talks about disarming the factions, and in the evening, he explains that actually it’s only after a Palestinian state is established.”

National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir posted that “for anyone who was wondering, terrorist supporter Mansour Abbas doesn’t want to lay down the weapons that killed the elderly and babies.”

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich also accused Abbas of supporting Israel’s enemies.

“No one is surprised by Abbas’s words,” he said. “The people of Israel have woken up and know very well who is standing by us and who supports our enemies.”

Legislation Committee chairman MK Simcha Rothman accused Abbas of encouraging Palestinians to continue bearing arms against Israel and supporting the killing of soldiers. Ra’am, Mansour Abbas, and the Islamic Movement in Israel are supporters of terrorism. Period,” he said.”

Labor Party leader Merav Michaeli praised Abbas, saying his statements demonstrate “a committed and real Jewish-Arab partnership”. “We can achieve security for all Israel’s citizens and security for the Palestinians only like this. This security will bring peace between us and our neighbors.”