Zev Chafets, Columnist

Could This Be the Most Important Man in Israel Now?

Arab politician Mansour Abbas has some simple demands for whoever wants to form the next government. He’s in a position to make them.

April 1, 2021 at 6:00 AM UTC

By Zev Chafets

Zev Chafets is a journalist and author of 14 books. He was a senior aide to Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin and the founding managing editor of the Jerusalem Report Magazine.

The man would-be prime ministers must woo.
Photographer: AHMAD GHARABLI/AFP via Getty Images

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Dr. Mansour Abbas, a small-town dentist from the Galilee, cuts an unusual figure for an Israeli king-maker. A devout Muslim, he dresses in a simple style, lacks charisma and speaks softly. But in the aftermath of last week’s election, which ended in a near tie between the pro-Netanyahu and anti-Netanyahu blocs, Abbas carries a very big stick.

Or maybe it is magic wand. Improbably, Abbas, whose United Arab List (UAL) won four seats in the new Knesset, may pick the next prime minister of the Jewish State.