Israel's Prime Minister Naftali Bennett reportedly expressed concern that Ra'am leader Mansour Abbas could be assassinated by those opposing his support of the government, Israeli media reported on Friday.
Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram
"Mansour Abbas is in mortal danger and might be murdered," Bennett reportedly told associates in private talks. According to Haaretz, the prime minister did not specify what he was basing his assessment on or whether there was intelligence on the matter, saying that the concern is that Israeli Arab citizens who oppose the Islamist party's participation in the coalition will be influenced by "wild incitement."
Those who took part in the conversation reportedly believe that Bennett's concern is genuine, the report noted.
Abbas has faced scathing criticism for his decision to make Ra'am the first Arab party to become a coalition partner in the Israeli government. He has been receiving threats for months and has come under attack on social media – even more so after he decided last week to shore up the government, which was facing a crucial no-confidence vote.
Subscribe to Israel Hayom's daily newsletter and never miss our top stories!
Yahya Sinwar, head of Hamas – the terrorist group controlling the Gaza Strip, addressed Abbas directly during a speech last week, saying, "Giving a safety net to a government that harms Al-Aqsa [Mosque] is an unforgivable crime. This is a renunciation of your religion and your Arab character. History will remember you for this, Mansour Abbas. When an Arab says that the state is Jewish, when an Arab says that this is not a race state, this is despicable, and I tried to find a gentle word."
Abbas declared that "Israel was born as a Jewish state and will remain one."
Responding to Sinwar, Abbas announced that Ra'am owes Sinwar nothing.
i24NEWS contributed to this report.
