Retired IDF Colonel Ofer Winter, who announced the formation of his new political party "Amcha Yisrael" (Your People Israel) on Tuesday evening, issued a sharp response to comments by Mansour Abbas, leader of the Ra'am party. Abbas had stated that the concept of Israel as a Jewish state was imposed upon him. Winter declared: "Anyone who does not recognize the State of Israel as a Jewish state can go to whatever Arab country he wants. And certainly such a person should not be allowed to be elected to Israel's Knesset. It's time to internalize — what was, will not be."
Israeli Politics
Winter to Abbas: Go to an Arab Country
The retired colonel, who launched his new political party Tuesday, responded sharply to Ra'am leader Mansour Abbas's statement that Israel's Jewish character was imposed on Arab citizens
Earlier in the day, Abbas had addressed Israel's Jewish identity, characterizing it as an existing reality forced upon the Arab public rather than a choice they made voluntarily.
"The Jewishness of the state is an existing situation that was imposed on us and not something we chose. This is the choice of the Jewish majority and not our demand," Abbas said.
The Ra'am chairman also discussed how Arab political parties relate to Israel's definition as a Jewish state, arguing that they have been compelled to accept this reality in practical terms, partly due to the possibility of being disqualified from running in elections.
"The Arab parties were forced to accept this in practical terms, because otherwise they are liable to be disqualified from running in elections to the Knesset and local authorities," he stated.
