Palestinian citizens of Israel divided over new government
After Ra'am became the first Arab party join an Israeli government in decades, some Palestinian citizens of Israel see the move as "historic" while others remain skeptical.
The Israeli declaration of independence announced on May 14, 1948, includes a call "to the Arab inhabitants of the State of Israel to preserve peace and participate in the upbuilding of the State on the basis of full and equal citizenship and due representation in all its provisional and permanent institutions."
Now, 73 years since the founding of Israel and after decades in which Palestinians were ignored, bypassed and had their national identity denied, a Palestinian citizen of Israel — the head of the United Arab List party (Raam), Mansour Abbas — has added his signature to a coalition government agreement cobbled together by Yair Lapid, the head of the Yesh Atid party.
