JERUSALEM — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s public condemnation of Arab political factions stands in stark contrast to behind-the-scenes maneuvers, as political insiders reveal that a top confidant of the prime minister recently approached an influential Arab party leader.

According to reports from Israeli broadcaster Kan and other media sources, Mansour Abbas, leader of the Islamist Ra'am party, disclosed that Nathan Eshel—a trusted aide representing Netanyahu—discreetly contacted him. The private communication reportedly probed Ra'am’s position on legislation that would bar a criminal defendant from holding the office of prime minister, as well as the party’s potential willingness to join an opposition-led coalition aimed at unseating Netanyahu.

The reported backchannel diplomacy directly clashes with Netanyahu's fiery rhetoric on the public stage. During a recent parliamentary opening session, the prime minister launched a blistering attack on Arab lawmakers, branding them "terrorist supporters" and accusing them of visiting wounded Hamas militants rather than backing Israeli soldiers. He asserted that Arab factions pose a threat to the Jewish state and have no place in government.

Abbas fiercely pushed back against the public remarks, calling them a dangerous form of political incitement that endangers his safety and that of his family. The Ra'am leader also reignited past controversies by alleging that Netanyahu once claimed to share a mutual understanding with late Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar—a claim previously denied by the ruling Likud party. Abbas challenged Netanyahu to take a polygraph test alongside him to settle the ongoing dispute.

While opposition figures, including former military chief Gadi Eizenkot, have maneuvered to build coalitions with the backing of Arab lawmakers holding crucial swing seats, Netanyahu continues to advocate for a strictly "Zionist emergency government" that excludes Arab parties, appealing instead to centrist and right-wing elements within the fragmented opposition.

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