The Arab Joint List announced on Thursday that it will recommend Yashar Party Chairman Gadi Eisenkot to President Isaac Herzog to form the next Israeli government.
"We decided unanimously, after consultations between the components of the list. It was not an easy decision. Despite our determination to topple Netanyahu, the opposition camp led by Eisenkot has yet to demonstrate the necessary willingness to contend with Netanyahu's path and to fight the incitement against the Arab civilians and the challenge to the legitimacy of their political decision," the party wrote in a statement.
Earlier in the day, the United Arab List (Ra'am) also recommended Eisenkot. During the consultation meeting, President Isaac Herzog asked the chairman of the party, MK Mansour Abbas, whether he considers Hamas a terrorist organization.
Abbas declined to answer either yes or no, later explaining that an explicit response could endanger him and his family.
"We are at war with Hamas, a murderous terrorist organization. Do you consider Hamas a terrorist organization?" Herzog asked directly.
"Even before we became Ra'am as a political party, we were an Islamic movement. You cannot constantly put us to this test - a test of loyalty, of upholding the law, of respecting people's dignity and ensuring their safety. You simply cannot," Abbas responded, avoiding a direct answer.
However, the issue remained on the agenda. Later in the meeting, the Director General of the President's Residence also raised the question, asking why Abbas was unwilling to explicitly define Hamas as a terrorist organization.
This time, Abbas directly addressed the reason he said he was reluctant to make such a declaration, claiming, "I have an answer, but leave me some room to serve as a bridge and to protect myself and my family. It is a matter of saving lives."