Mansour Abbas has already broken the taboo - now it's time to demand more | Amnon Barri-Soliziano

Mansour Abbas broke the taboo on Arab party participation in the coalition, and now he must demand a strategic partnership based on more than budgets and five-year plans. The column calls on Abbas to use the political power he has gained to change the rules of partnership, and to combine citizenship with nationalism, the fight against crime with advancing a political solution, and five-year plans with recognition of the collective rights of Palestinian citizens of Israel. The camp seeking to replace Netanyahu must accept Ra'am as it truly is.

Mansour Abbas, chairman of Ra'am, broke the taboo on Arab party participation in the coalition, and this was a brave strategy with a personal and political price tag, but it succeeded. Now, the column argues, it is time to move to the next stage: Abbas must demand a strategic partnership based on more than budgets, five-year plans, and improving the standard of living of Arab citizens. Most Arab citizens want to see their representatives influence the government and achieve results. Those who criticized Abbas in Arab society did so because he almost completely avoided dealing with the national identity of his voters, their rights, the reality in the territories and Gaza, and the aspiration to end the conflict. Abbas must use the political power he has gained to change not only the composition of the government, but also the rules of partnership. Ra'am does not have to choose between citizenship and nationalism, between the fight against crime and advancing a political solution, and between five-year plans and recognition of the collective rights of Palestinian citizens of Israel. It can and should do both. Arab-Jewish partnership is not based on erasing identities. If Segalovich joins Ra'am, he does not become less Jewish, and Abbas does not become less Palestinian. If Jewish parties are allowed to talk about security, Jerusalem, the future of the territories, and the identity of the state, there is no reason why an Arab party should be considered a legitimate partner only as long as it deals with roads, budgets, and garbage collection. Such a demand is an expression of inequality. The camp seeking to replace Netanyahu will have to internalize this. If the camp seeks Ra'am's support, it will have to accept it as it truly is: a party representing a public that is both Israeli citizens and part of the Palestinian people. If Abbas musters the courage to take this step, he will not only increase Ra'am's bargaining power in coalition negotiations, but may also expand his support base in Arab society.