The Likud party has demanded that the United Arab List (Ra'am), which is a member of the ruling coalition, unambiguously condemn the Sunday morning terror attack in Jerusalem's Old City.
In response, the Arab party chose to publish only a Hebrew-language condemnation, due to concerns over potential criticism from the Arab public should they issue a condemnation in Arabic as well.
"The Likud demands that Ra'am and [Chairman MK] Mansour Abbas officially and unambiguously condemn the lowly terror attack in Jerusalem this morning," the Likud said in a statement, adding that the condemnation must be "unconditional and without excuses."
Ra'am responded: "Throughout the decades, Ra'am has opposed and condemned and acted to prevent harm to innocent people on both sides, and it will continue this stance, especially when it comes to innocent civilians. Ra'am has always called to preserve the sanctity of life, and to avoid any kind of violence, and to aim to live together in peace and security, in cooperation and tolerance, as was written in the Ra'am mission statement."
"The Likud cannot lecture Ra'am and MK Mansour Abbas, period. The Likud led the government for many years, and failed at achieving peace and security and internal stability, and therefore its time has ended and it has been replaced. The Likud needs to make peace with the fact that today there is a different government, and for a change, a functioning government."
On Sunday morning, a terrorist - who has since been eliminated - murdered Eliyahu David Kay, a 26-year-old new immigrant to Israel from South Africa. An employee of the Western Wall Heritage Foundation, Kay worked as a tour guide in the Old City. He was engaged to be married.
Sunday’s attack left three other people wounded, one of them in moderate-to-serious condition, with two others lightly wounded.