Defense Minister Israel Katz issued a sharp warning Sunday against the possibility of including Islamist Arab parties in Israel's next governing coalition, arguing that such a move would pose a serious threat to national security.
In a statement, Katz pointed to Egypt's decision to outlaw the Muslim Brotherhood, contrasting Cairo's actions against the Islamist movement with efforts in Israel to establish a government supported by Ra'am, the party headed by MK Mansour Abbas.
"Egypt has completed the process of outlawing the Muslim Brotherhood, while here there are those working to bring them into the government," Katz declared. "I warn of the grave consequences of this move for Israel's security."
According to Katz, the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt has been cooperating with Hamas and the movement's umbrella organization in Turkey in efforts to foment a revolution against Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi.
Katz alleged that Khaled Anam, the head of Hamas's foreign intelligence apparatus, has been actively promoting and financing these activities, including through cooperation with elements of the Iranian regime.
The Defense Minister noted that the United States had welcomed Egypt's decision and said that numerous Arab countries shared its position.
He then turned his criticism toward Israeli political leaders seeking to form a coalition with the support of Islamist Arab parties following the recent Knesset elections.
"Only here in Israel are there those who, even after the events of October 7, are working to bring Hamas's sister movement into the coalition and government," Katz charged.
He singled out Ra'am chairman Mansour Abbas, accusing him of refusing to explicitly recognize Hamas as a terrorist organization.
"Its leader, Abbas, is not even willing to define Hamas as a terrorist organization, and the movement is fundamentally tied to an ideology that seeks to turn Israel into an Islamic caliphate," Katz claimed.
The Defense Minister warned that the ideological goals he attributed to the Muslim Brotherhood represented a danger not only to Egypt but also to Israel.
"Those who are prepared to overthrow the president of the largest and most powerful Arab country in the name of extremist Islamic ideology will not hesitate to massacre people in the Jewish state if given the opportunity," he said.
Katz concluded by calling for a broad political consensus against cooperation with parties that he accused of maintaining ties with Israel's enemies.
"There must be a broad national consensus against cooperating in any way with Islamist and nationalist Arab parties that maintain ties with Israel's enemies and work toward its destruction," he declared.
The statement comes amid political debate over the formation of Israel's next government, with members of the outgoing coalition warning against the possibility of an opposition-led government dependent on the support of Arab parties.