Mansour Abbas

Mansour Abbas, April 3 2023 (cropped)

Mansour Abbas (Arabic: منصور عباس‎, Hebrew: מנסור עבאס‎; born 22 April 1974) is an Israeli Arab politician. He is the leader of the United Arab List (Ra'am), an Islamist party in Israel. Abbas is known for his pragmatic approach to politics, often advocating for cooperation between Arab citizens of Israel and the Israeli government.

Early Life and Education

Mansour Abbas was born in the town of Maghar in northern Israel. He studied dentistry at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, where he earned his degree. During his time at university, Abbas became involved in student politics and was a member of the Islamic Movement in Israel.

Political Career

Abbas began his political career as a member of the Maghar local council. He later became the deputy chairman of the Southern Branch of the Islamic Movement in Israel. In 2019, he was elected to the Knesset as part of the United Arab List, which is part of the Joint List alliance.

United Arab List Leadership

In 2021, Abbas led the United Arab List in a historic move by breaking away from the Joint List and running independently in the 2021 Israeli legislative election. His party won four seats, and Abbas played a crucial role in the formation of the thirty-sixth government of Israel by supporting the coalition led by Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid.

Political Views and Achievements

Abbas is known for his pragmatic and moderate stance, often emphasizing the need for Arab-Jewish cooperation. He has focused on issues such as improving infrastructure in Arab communities, fighting crime, and securing more government funding for Arab municipalities. His decision to support the Bennett-Lapid government marked the first time an Arab party was part of an Israeli governing coalition.

Personal Life

Mansour Abbas is married and has children. He continues to reside in Maghar and remains active in both his political and professional life as a dentist.

See Also

• United Arab List
• Joint List
• Knesset
• Islamic Movement in Israel
• Naftali Bennett
• Yair Lapid