Mansour Abbas: Civil service must address needs of Arab youth

Mansour Abbas, head of the Ra'am party, stated that civil service should address the needs of Arab youth. He emphasized that Israel is a Jewish and democratic state, but Arab citizens should have equal status and be partners in serving the state.

Mansour Abbas, head of the Ra'am party, spoke at a conference organized by Ynet and Yedioth Ahronoth in collaboration with the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS), in a conversation with Ofer Shelah. Abbas stated: "You know my position regarding the Jewish and democratic state. Undoubtedly, Israel is and will remain Jewish and democratic; the question is what is the status of Arab citizens. I want equal status, I want to be a partner in serving the citizens of the State of Israel. On the issue of civil service, a program is needed that addresses the needs of Arab youth." The statement came amid ongoing debates about civil service for the Arab sector.