Gadi Eisenkot condemns racist incitement against Arab citizens, accuses Netanyahu of fueling campaign

Gadi Eisenkot, head of the Yashar party and tasked with forming a government, published a post accusing outgoing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of fueling a racist campaign against Arab citizens, calling it a betrayal of the Declaration of Independence. He also addressed comments about party member Elissaf Peretz.

Chairman of the Yashar party, Gadi Eisenkot, published a long post on social media today (Friday) detailing his efforts to form an emergency government under his leadership, about a week after receiving the mandate from President Isaac Herzog. Eisenkot referred to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as "the outgoing prime minister" and pledged to "leave no stone unturned" to establish a stable government. He addressed the remarks of Miriam Peretz, mother of his faction member Alisaf Peretz, and said he is not "troubled" by Alisaf Peretz and trusts him. Eisenkot harshly attacked the "vicious and ugly campaign" against his faction members and their families, which includes threats and incitement. Additionally, he addressed Arab citizens of Israel, who make up 21% of the population, and condemned the racist delegitimization campaign against them, which he attributed to the outgoing prime minister and his circle. He defined the incitement against Arabs as "an anti-state act that desecrates the Declaration of Independence."