Arabs Turn on One Another in Israel’s Knesset

“This is unprecedented! What you are doing hasn’t been done since the first Knesset!”

By Israel Today Staff | | Topics: Israeli Arabs
Arab lawmakers Mansour Abbas (left) and Ahmad Tibi confront one another in the Knesset in 2021. Photo by Yonatan Sindel/Flash90
Arab lawmakers Mansour Abbas (left) and Ahmad Tibi confront one another in the Knesset in 2021. Photo by Yonatan Sindel/Flash90

The heads of Arab political parties took aim at one another in a heated Knesset debate this week.

Ahmad Tibi, head of the Ta’al party and one of the leaders of the Joint Arab List faction, had taken to the podium in yet another rant against the State of Israel that he supposedly serves.

During his speech, Tibi singled out fellow Arab lawmaker Mansour Abbas, head of the Ra’am party.

“You should be ashamed,” Tibi told Abbas, presumably because of the latter’s willingness to work with Jewish and Zionist parties in the Knesset. Abbas’ Ra’am became the first Arab party ever to be part of a sitting Israeli government when he joined the previous coalition headed by Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid.

Last week, Abbas reportedly met with Likud officials about supporting the current government’s judicial reform plan.

He fired back at Tibi by accusing him of harming Israel’s Arab community by abusing his position to routinely attack the state and its representatives.

A furious Tibi then exclaimed in Hebrew: “There has never been an Arab Member of Knesset (MK) come up here to attack other Arab MKs, not since the first Knesset was formed. You, Abbas, broke this taboo in the previous Knesset and are doing so now.”

You Might Also Like
Load more
Members

Israel Today Membership

Read all member content. Access exclusive, in-depth reports from Israel! Free Zoom events. Connect with Israel right from your home! Raise a voice of truth and hope. Support Faith-based journalism in Jerusalem!

Monthly
Membership

$5
/ month
Full access to Israel Today's Member-only content on all Digital Platforms.
Become a Member

Yearly
Membership

$46
/ year
Full access to Israel Today's Member-only content on all Digital Platforms.
Save 18% Per Month.
Become a Member

Six Months
Membership

$28
every 6 months
Full access to Israel Today's Member-only content on all Digital Platforms.
Save 9% Per Month.
Become a Member
Israel Today comments guidelines Kommentar-Regeln

Leave a Reply

Israel Today Newsletter

Daily news

FREE to your inbox

Israel Heute Newsletter

Tägliche Nachrichten

KOSTENLOS in Ihrer Inbox

Subscribe to our Daily Newsletter