Expression of extremism

Rawya Handaklo attacks President Isaac Herzog for his conduct during the round of consultations with the factions. According to her, Herzog applied loyalty tests to representatives of the Arab parties, praised Ben Gvir's steps, and missed an opportunity to lead a change in discourse.

Rawya Handaklo, a columnist for ynet, sharply criticizes President Isaac Herzog's conduct during the round of consultations with the factions after the elections. According to her, instead of identifying an opportunity to lead change and making a clear statement against racism and delegitimization of the Arab public, Herzog subjected the representatives of the Arab parties to familiar loyalty tests: Hamas, security, and the boundaries of partnership. Handaklo claims that Herzog settled for cautious reservations in the face of statements portraying the Arab public as an enemy, and even made things difficult for the representatives of the Democrats. She points to a disparity in his treatment of the Otzma Yehudit party: he praised Ben Gvir's steps in prisons but expressed reservations about humiliating detainees due to the reputational damage to Israel. Handaklo asserts that the president, identified with the democratic-liberal camp, is adopting the reference point of the far right and granting extremism a state-sanctioned expression. The article was published on November 8, 2026.