Ra’am Chairman Mansour Abbas refused on Thursday to define Hamas as a terrorist organization during consultations with President Isaac Herzog, despite being asked twice. After Herzog stated clearly that Hamas is a terrorist organization, Abbas was asked if he would define it the same way. He responded: “You can’t put us to this test every time.” When pressed again later in the meeting, he said he feared for his own safety and that of his family.
The exchange took place as Ra’am representatives visited the President’s Residence as part of the consultation round ahead of forming the next government. The faction recommended giving the mandate to National Unity party leader Gadi Eisenkot.
Two Questions About Hamas—Two Evasions from Abbas
During the meeting, Herzog referred to Hamas and defined it unequivocally as a terrorist organization. After his remarks, Abbas was asked to define the organization the same way, but he avoided answering affirmatively and said, “You can’t put us to this test every time.” Later in the consultation, the question came up again when one of the president’s staff members asked Abbas to explain why he won’t call Hamas a terrorist organization, noting that the time has come to give skeptics a clear answer as well. Abbas replied that he has a clear answer, but explained that he wants to preserve his ability to serve as a bridge between the sides, alongside concerns for his safety and his family’s safety.
“I have a clear answer—but leave me this space to be a bridge on the other side too, and leave me the space to protect myself and my family,” Abbas said. He added that he doesn’t want Arab society portrayed as supporting terror or as traitors, and emphasized that he and his party condemn political violence, including the events of October 7. According to him, continuing to act as a bridge for reconciliation and peace requires him to maintain room to maneuver, and he even described it as a matter of “pikuach nefesh”—saving a life. During the discussion, Abbas called Hamas a military organization.