Channel 12 News commentator Muhammad Majadele claims that Shas chairman Aryeh Deri was the one who legitimized Mansour Abbas and his Ra’am party as someone who could take part in any coalition.
"In the honeymoon between Mansour Abbas and Netanyahu, the haredi parties and especially former MK Aryeh Deri were among the people who mediated between the parties," Majadele said in an interview with the Kikar HaShabbat news website.
He added that "one of the main people who mediated between Netanyahu and Mansur Abbas was Aryeh Deri - unequivocally. The problem was not the haredim, but the Religious Zionist party - Smotrich, Ben Gvir and their friends - and that is why Mansour Abbas was sent to Rabbi Druckman. It was done with Netanyahu's knowledge and coordinated with him."
Majadele was asked whether Netanyahu and Deri's talks with Abbas legitimized the current government and replied, "Unequivocally. That is why Deri and his friends understand the magnitude of the mistake they made - they legitimized Mansour Abbas and in the end he went with Bennett and Lapid."
Deri has previously denied acting as a mediator between the parties, but at the same time said in closed-door talks that the conduct vis-à-vis Ra’am during the most recent coalition talks was wrong.