Eisenkot accuses Netanyahu of racist campaign against Arab Israelis

Israeli prime ministerial hopeful Gadi Eisenkot has accused caretaker Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of fuelling what he called a racist campaign against the country's Arab minority. The criticism came after Mr Netanyahu sought to delegitimise Arab politicians by linking them to Hamas. Mr Eisenkot said the attempt to marginalise and vilify Arab citizens collectively was unacceptable.

Mr Eisenkot's remarks were a rare public defence of Arab Israelis by a prominent Jewish political leader. Arab citizens make up more than 20% of Israel's population, and two Arab-majority parties, Raam and the Joint List, won a combined 19 seats in last month's election. That result gives them potential influence in efforts by Mr Eisenkot to assemble a government in the 120-seat parliament.

In a post on X, he said Arab citizens were an integral part of Israel's story and condemned what he described as a campaign of delegitimisation for political purposes. The dispute comes amid a wider political confrontation over the role of Arab parties in Israeli politics. Mr Netanyahu and his allies have repeatedly criticised Arab party leaders for refusing to describe Hamas as a terrorist group after its 7 October 2023 attack on Israel.

Arab party leaders have condemned that attack, and Arab Israelis were among those killed. Mr Netanyahu has also repeated allegations of electoral fraud by Arab-majority parties, claims that electoral authorities have rejected. The row also reflects the continuing difficulty of coalition-building after the election.

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Mr Netanyahu said this week that the Arab lists refuse to recognise Israel as a Jewish state, although Raam leader Mansour Abbas has done so in the past. He also accused them of seeking either an Islamic state or a nationalist Palestinian state. During the same ceremony, National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir heckled Joint List leader Youssef Jabareen during his oath of allegiance, accusing him of having pledged allegiance to Hamas.

The comments are significant because Arab parties can play a decisive role in government formation when no bloc wins a clear majority. That makes their treatment a central issue in negotiations over who can command support in parliament. Mr Eisenkot's intervention also highlights tensions between efforts to build a governing coalition and the political use of identity and security issues in the campaign.

President Isaac Herzog tasked Mr Eisenkot with forming a new government on Sunday, adding further pressure to the talks. It remains unclear whether the dispute over Arab parties will affect coalition arithmetic or harden positions among potential partners. The next stage will depend on whether Mr Eisenkot can secure enough support to govern and whether the accusations and counter-accusations continue to shape the negotiations.

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