Eisenkot accuses Netanyahu of racist campaign against Arab Israelis

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 13 Nov, 23:02 · Archive

Israeli prime ministerial hopeful Gadi Eisenkot has accused caretaker PM Benjamin Netanyahu of fuelling a racist campaign against Palestinian citizens of Israel.

Israeli prime ministerial hopeful Gadi Eisenkot accused caretaker PM Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday of fuelling a racist and violent campaign against Palestinian citizens of Israel. Eisenkot, whom the incoming government tasked with forming Israel's new administration, made the statement on social media.

Eisenkot said Arab citizens of Israel, who make up over 20 per cent of the population, have faced a campaign of delegitimisation fuelled by Netanyahu and his circle for political reasons. He stated that the prime minister of Israel must be the prime minister of all citizens and that attempting to marginalise and smear Arab citizens collectively is an anti-state act. The Guardian reports his statement as a rare instance of a prominent Jewish political leader taking a strong stand in defence of Arab Israelis.

In October's elections, Eisenkot's four-party alliance won 48 seats whilst Netanyahu's right-wing and religious bloc secured 53. Arab-led parties won a record 19 seats. Netanyahu and his allies have repeatedly criticised Arab party leaders for refusing to describe Hamas as a terror group following the October 7, 2023 attack on Israel. All Arab party leaders have condemned the attack. Netanyahu has also alleged electoral fraud by Arab-majority parties, but Israel's electoral authorities have rejected these claims.

How it is being reported

• Eisenkot accuses Netanyahu of ‘racist’ campaign against Israel’s Arab minorityStatement a rare instance of a prominent Jewish political leader taking a strong stand in defence of Arab Israelis Israeli prime ministerial hopeful Gadi Eisenkot accused caretaker premier Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday of fuelling a “racist” campaign against the country’s Arab minority, after he sought to delegitimise the community’s lawmakers by linking them to Hamas. Eisenkot’s statement was a rare instance of a prominent Jewish political leader taking a strong stand in defence of Arab Israelis, who make up more than 20% of the population. Continue reading...Guardian World · 13 Nov, 22:36
• Eisenkot slams Netanyahu’s ‘racist’ campaign against Palestinian IsraelisPrime ministerial hopeful calls attempts to marginalise and smear Palestinian citizens of Israel 'an anti-state act'.Al Jazeera · 13 Nov, 18:04

In this story: Gadi Eisenkot · Benjamin Netanyahu · Israel · Hamas · Raam · Joint List

This summary was written by AI from the headlines and standfirsts above, and states as fact only what at least two outlets report. How we use AI · Report a problem · Corrections log