From the Liveblog of
Wednesday, April 21, 2021
Seeking support for direct election for PM, Netanyahu phones Mansour Abbas for 1st time since election
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Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is seeking to garner support for the new initiative of direct elections for the premiership from some unlikely and very unlikely sources.
Netanyahu held a phone call today with Mansour Abbas, chairman of the Islamist Ra’am party, which the premier has claimed supports terrorism but which has party has been wooing. This would appear to be the first time the two have talked since the election.
“The two discussed current political issues, including the potential for forming a government, burning questions for Arab society and other political issues,” the Ra’am party declares in a laconic statement.
Netanyahu also spoke with Blue and White chairman Benny Gantz, Labor chair Merav Michaeli and Meretz chair Nitzan Horowitz.
The Times of Israel Community.