Mansour Abbas

Mansour Abbas
Born	(1974-04-22) April 22, 1974 Maghar, Israel
Occupation(s)	Politician, dentist, imam
Years active	2007–present
Known for	Head of the United Arab List, member of the Knesset, first Israeli Arab in ruling coalition

Mansour Abbas (; ; born 22 April 1974) is an Israeli politician serving as the head of the United Arab List and representing the party in the Knesset. On 27 April 2021, he was named chairperson of the Special Committee on Arab Society Affairs. In 2021, Abbas became the first Israeli Arab political figure to be part of an Israeli ruling coalition. He holds a professional background as a dentist.

Early life and education

Born in Maghar, located in Israel's Northern District, Abbas comes from a Muslim Arab Israeli farming family with ten siblings. At the age of 17, he began delivering sermons at the Peace Mosque in Maghar and self-identifies as Palestinian.

Abbas pursued dentistry studies at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, earning his dental qualification; however, his professional license had expired by October 2023. While attending university, from 1997 to 1998, he led the Arab Students Committee as its chairman.

Activism

During his university years, Abbas encountered Abdullah Nimar Darwish, founder of the Islamic Movement, and also undertook political science studies at the University of Haifa.

In 2007, he assumed the role of Secretary General for the United Arab List, and by 2010 he was elected Deputy Chairman of the Islamic Movement’s Southern Branch.

2019–2021

In the April 2019 Knesset election, Abbas led a joint list comprising the United Arab List and Balad, securing four parliamentary seats. His endorsement of conversion therapy for LGBTQ+ youth during an interview with Walla News sparked controversy and drew criticism from fellow Joint List members.

Further controversy arose when Abbas pursued closer relations with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his Likud faction. In an interview broadcast on the pro-Netanyahu Channel 20 Network, he promoted collaboration with Zionist parties to obtain funding and implement reforms aimed at benefiting Arab Israelis.

On 21 April 2020, Abbas delivered a landmark speech in the Knesset addressing the Holocaust, expressing solidarity with Jewish victims and survivors and acknowledging their suffering.

Abbas voted alongside the Joint List against the Abraham Accords, objecting to their omission of a peace agreement with Palestinians. He argued that authentic peace with Palestinians would pave the way for broader accords with Muslim nations but stressed that Israel’s policies should not hinge solely on peace with Bahrain.

2021–2022

Prior to the 2021 elections, in January, the United Arab List parted ways with the Joint List. Analysts attributed this split to a fundamental divergence: whether to engage fully within Israeli political frameworks to improve conditions for Arab Israelis—as advocated by Abbas—or to reject such participation in favor of focusing on the larger Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Abbas credited his mentor Sheikh Abdullah’s influence for shaping his approach, describing Abdullah’s funeral as a moment of philosophical transformation.

During the 2021 Israeli-Palestinian tensions, Abbas condemned attacks on synagogues in Lod carried out by rioters. Invoking Islamic principles and respect for law, he committed to assisting in their restoration. This stance earned him commendations from Jewish leaders and politicians but also provoked criticism from some Muslim figures who called for his resignation.

Although party regulations restrict members of Knesset to three terms—initially rendering Abbas ineligible for candidacy—he nonetheless ran as leader of his party in the 2021 elections. The United Arab List won four seats in that contest.

Coalition government

On 2 June 2021, after discussions with opposition figures Yair Lapid and Naftali Bennett, Abbas agreed to support a government excluding Netanyahu by signing a coalition deal with Lapid, leading to the establishment of the thirty-sixth government of Israel. This development marked the Ra'am party as the first independent Arab faction to join an Israeli governing coalition. Bennett commended Abbas as a "courageous" figure. The coalition agreement included commitments totaling approximately to enhance infrastructure, lower crime rates in Arab communities, protect unpermitted homes in Arab villages, and officially recognize four Bedouin towns located in the Negev desert.

On 28 October 2021, the Israeli cabinet endorsed a plan allocating to boost employment opportunities, healthcare services, housing, technological development, and infrastructure within Arab regions; an additional was designated to combat elevated crime levels. Abbas was acknowledged for securing this historic financial investment. The initiative was enacted into law when the budget was approved on 4 November 2021.

During Abbas's tenure, the coalition government formally recognized several Bedouin settlements and connected tens of thousands of formerly unauthorized residences to the electrical network.

On 9 November 2021, Abbas held a meeting with King Abdullah II, marking the inaugural encounter between the monarch and an Arab party leader serving in Israel’s government. Their discussion centered on advancing the peace process and reaffirming commitment to a two-state framework.

On 21 December 2021, Abbas declared that Israel was established as a Jewish state and would continue as such, a statement that drew criticism from other Arab political factions. Later, on 10 February 2022, he dismissed Amnesty International's assertion that Israel functions as an apartheid regime by stating: "I would not call it apartheid," although he did not comment on conditions prevailing in the West Bank.

2022–present

Abbas led his party during the 2022 Israeli legislative election and secured reelection. In November 2022, former prime minister Naftali Bennett praised him in an op-ed published in The New York Times, describing Abbas as "brave." Following the 2023 Hamas attack on Israel, Abbas advocated for solidarity between Jewish and Arab citizens within Israel.

He condemned the Hamas-initiated assault on 7 October 2023. On 1 December 2023, Abbas called upon armed Palestinian groups to halt violent actions and engage in diplomatic efforts with the Palestinian Authority aimed at enhancing prospects for Palestinian statehood and achieving a lasting ceasefire. This appeal provoked strong criticism from Israel’s National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, and Legislative Committee Chairman Simcha Rothman, who accused Abbas and the United Arab List of endorsing terrorism. In contrast, Israel’s Labor Party leader Merav Michaeli commended Abbas for exemplifying "a committed and real Jewish-Arab partnership."

Ideology and political views

Abbas is characterized as conservative with socially conservative positions, opposing pro-LGBT initiatives and endorsing conversion therapy practices. Often described as an Islamist, he has criticized left-wing Israeli parties and tends to align more closely with conservative Jewish ultra-Orthodox factions regarding religious matters.

In December 2021, Abbas publicly acknowledged that "Israel was born as a Jewish state, and it will remain that way," effectively accepting Israel’s status as a de facto Jewish state without labeling it apartheid. This position, stated during a business conference, generated controversy within segments of the Arab community.

Following the attacks on October 7, Abbas condemned Hamas by denouncing their actions as "inhuman and unjustifiable," emphasizing that such violence does not represent Palestinians broadly. He urged Hamas and other militant organizations to release hostages, underscoring that Islamic principles prohibit detaining women, children, and elderly individuals.

Personal life

Abbas lives in Maghar with his spouse, Yakoot, who works as an English teacher at the high school level. Together, they have three children. In addition to his family commitments, he fulfills the role of an imam at a mosque located near Tiberias.