Former Israeli military chief accuses Netanyahu of stoking racist rhetoric against Arab citizens
Gadi Eisenkot, a former chief of staff, said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s recent comments about Arab lawmakers amounted to a racist campaign, intensifying political tensions ahead of coalition talks.
Former Israeli military chief Gadi Eisenkot, who is seeking to assemble a new governing coalition, said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is driving a "racist" campaign against Arab citizens of Israel. Eisenkot made the remarks on social media on Friday, days after Netanyahu described Arab lawmakers in the Knesset as "terror supporters" and "haters of Israel" during the opening parliamentary session.
Eisenkot argued that the Prime Minister and his allies have used a "racist and aggressive campaign of delegitimization" for political purposes since the start of the election campaign. He emphasized that Arab citizens, who comprise about 20 percent of the population, are an integral part of Israel’s society and should not be collectively maligned.
Diplomats and analysts have criticized Netanyahu’s speech, describing it as inflammatory toward the Arab community, which participated heavily in the recent inconclusive elections.