Netanyahu attacks Ra’am, accuses it of turning ‘blind eye’ to gang control of local governments

The government will hold a special meeting in Kiryat Shmona as part of a program to strengthen the north, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu promises.

Speaking to the Knesset plenum, Netanyahu adopts what appears to be a central campaign strategy ahead of this year’s election by focusing his remarks on the Islamist Ra’am party.

The premier tells the opposition that, “in order for the Muslim Brotherhood’s Shura Council to approve Ra’am joining your government, you have simply given in to its demands.” One of the demands, he claims, is to turn a blind eye to Arab criminal gangs to take control of local governments.

Ra’am has distanced itself from the Muslim Brotherhood in recent months after Netanyahu indicated he would try to bar the organization. Netanyahu and his government have been accused of failing to tackle soaring crime in Arab communities in both the north and south.

Ra’am head Mansour Abbas has revealed that Netanyahu previously courted his party to join his coalition in 2021.