Muwafiq al-Hib, head of the Tuba Zangaria local council, told Radio al-Nass that Gadi Eisenkot informed him Ra'am would be an integral part of any coalition and government he leads. Al-Hib said Eisenkot acknowledged ongoing contacts with Ra'am and committed to reaching out to the party if tasked with forming the government.
Muwafiq al-Hib, head of the Tuba Zangaria local council, provided the clearest account yet on Wednesday afternoon of opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot's commitment to include the Arab party Ra'am in a future government. In an interview with Radio al-Nass, al-Hib said Eisenkot told him that Ra'am would be an integral part of any coalition and government he leads, acknowledged ongoing contacts with the party, and committed to reaching out if tasked with forming the government.
The new details build on a thread The Zioneer has tracked since Wednesday morning. At 08:58 Jerusalem, Bedouin officials first claimed that Eisenkot promised to include Ra'am, though the Yashar party immediately called the claim "an absolute lie." Shortly after, al-Hib clarified that Bedouin officials had not endorsed Eisenkot but demanded Ra'am's inclusion and that Eisenkot promised to do so — a position The Zioneer reported at 15:15 Jerusalem. The latest remarks from al-Hib indicate that those demands were met with a direct commitment from Eisenkot, though Yashar has not publicly updated its position since its initial denial.
Eisenkot has repeatedly stated his openness to governing with Arab party support. As The Zioneer reported on July 1, he acknowledged that a government relying on Arab parties is a realistic option, and in a July 2 interview he said he aims for the broadest possible coalition. The Yashar party chairman has also said that only his party can form a "Zionist conscription government," a position that has drawn criticism from right-wing rivals who oppose coalition with Ra'am.
The Yashar party has not confirmed al-Hib's latest account, and its earlier denial of the initial claim remains on the record. Ra'am itself has not publicly commented on the alleged contacts with Eisenkot. The account rests solely on al-Hib's word.
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