MK Mansour Abbas, who heads the United Arab List (Ra'am), has expressed hope that coalition negotiations will resume following the cessation of violence and the end of the ongoing Operation Guardian of the Walls.
Speaking to Makan Radio, Abbas said: "There is no choice but to return to political negotiations to form a government, after the fire dies down. We have a real opportunity to play an important role in Israeli politics, for the sake of our sector."
On Monday, Abbas announced a halt to negotiations on the formation of a government, claiming his decision was the result of the escalation in conflict between the IDF and Hamas, the launching of rockets at Israel, and the riots in Jerusalem.
A senior United Arab List (UAL) official told Kan 11 News that they do not know if they will be able to resume negotiations before MK Yair Lapid's (Tesh Atid) mandate to form a government expires, and that this depends on the extent of the escalation.
Also on Monday, MK Bezalel Smotrich (Religious Zionism) warned: "History repeats itself. Every time the State of Israel negotiates with and surrenders to the Arabs who deny our existence - terrorism, which stems from hope, rages. This is how the Oslo Accords exploded in a wave of terror. So it is today when the supporters of terrorism become the deciding factor and the kingmakers in the State of Israel."
"The legitimacy that is being given right now to [United Arab List leader Mansour] Abbas and the supporters of terrorism is being spilled over onto the citizens of Israel. The citizens of Jerusalem are under siege and it is a shame and a disgrace."
"Whoever gives the terrorists' supporters legitimacy to be part of the Israeli government - it should come as no surprise that the terrorists then raise their heads against the people of Israel."