RAAM has frozen contacts and the 'Boycott Bloc' is confused: "Is everything canceled?""

May 10, 2021   

The chairman of the Ra'am party, MK Mansour Abbas, announced this evening (Monday) that talks to form a government have been suspended in light of the escalation in the south and in Jerusalem. A senior Ra'am member told Kan News that they do not know whether they will be able to return to negotiations before the end of Lapid's mandate, and that this depends on the extent of the escalation. Muhammad Majdallah, head of the news division at Radio Nas, reported that senior Ra'am and Islamic Movement officials said: "We will not be able to join any government that declares or supports war against our people in Gaza." Ra'am's dramatic announcement caught members of the "Boycott Bloc" off guard. The formation of a left-wing government depends on Ra'am members, and the fact that the party announced the freezing of talks for an unknown period of time is causing concern among the leaders of the bloc. One of them told Israel Hayom: "We were on the way to signing and closing the deal. Now the situation is unclear. We still don't understand what exactly that means. Is everything canceled? Is there nothing to talk to him about? If everything calms down tomorrow or the day after tomorrow, will he return to negotiations? In any case, if Ra'am is out of the game, it is very significant and puts the formation of the government in real danger." A senior source in the Joint List told Israel Hayom: "Given Bennett's backing of Lapid Sa'ar for the air force attacks in Gaza and the harm to uninvolved civilians, including children, as well as Sa'ar and Bennett's demand for a large-scale operation in Gaza, the continuation of the talks to support the coalition for change is in doubt. We will not support a government headed by Bennett." Journalist Nadav Eyal responded: "If the first thing Ra'am does is suspend talks - with Bennett/Lapid or Netanyahu, it doesn't matter - because of the escalation, it raises serious questions about how sustainable a government with them is. Escalations of this kind occur in Israel." MK Bezalel Smotrich responded cynically to the RA's announcement: "Shocking, the cute RA who was whitewashed here as a government partner identifies with its sister movement Hamas in Gaza?! We haven't been surprised like this in a long time... It's lucky that it's happening now and what's being delayed is irresponsible negotiations and not a sovereign government in Israel or operational activity to combat terrorism." Smotrich called on Bennett and Gideon Sa'ar to form an emergency government of the national camp parties: "Put everything aside and let's form an emergency government of the national camp today. Everything else will wait." Smotrich wrote to Ayelet Shaked: "Come with us to an emergency government of the national camp and together we can restore determination to the State of Israel." Earlier today, Abbas canceled the tripartite meeting with Yair Lapid and Naftali Bennett. The meeting was supposed to take place at 4:30 PM, before the rocket barrages were launched from Gaza at Israel.