Bezalel Smotrich Sparks Backlash Over Saying Mansour Abbas Government Is Worse Than Oct. 7

Israel’s finance minister Bezalel Smotrich sparked backlash after saying that forming a government with Arab lawmakers would be “worse” than the Oct. 7, 2023 events. In an interview with Radio 103 FM, Smotrich said, “A government with Mansour Abbas is worse than Oct. 7,” linking the remark to coalition politics. The comments came as opinion polls suggested Israel’s main opposition bloc may be unable to form a government without backing from Arab parties, with Israel’s next general elections scheduled for October. The Anadolu Ajansı report also said forming a government requires support of at least 61 members in the 120-seat Knesset, while polls indicated Netanyahu’s bloc could win around 50 seats, the opposition about 60, and Arab parties about 10.

“Israel’s finance minister sparks backlash after saying Arab-backed government ‘worse’ than October 2023 events Bezalel Smotrich faces criticism from opposition figures and commentators over comments on Arab parties’ role in coalition politics Abdel Raouf Arnaout 05 May 2026•Update: 05 May 2026 JERUSALEM Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has drawn widespread criticism after saying that forming a government with support from Arab lawmakers would be “worse” than the Oct”

Anadolu Ajansı

Mansour Abbas responded to Smotrich’s remarks by saying, “Even on its worst day, the Change Government (a coalition government in 2021, in which Abbas participated before it collapsed a year later) was a thousand times better than the disaster government Smotrich is part of.” Opposition figures also attacked Smotrich’s framing of the October 7 massacre, with Yashar Party leader Gadi Eisenkot saying, “You are a disgrace to the people you were elected to represent.” The Jerusalem Post reported that Smotrich told Radio 103 FM that the October 7 massacre was “a tactical failure,” and that “Someone who knowingly sold the State of Israel to its enemies” did “a thousand times worse” than the “worst failure.” It also said Bennett replied that anyone calling the October 7 massacre a “tactical failure” was “placing themselves on the list of Israel-haters and massacre deniers,” while Democrats leader Yair Golan said Smotrich’s view meant “the survival of the government matters more to him than the lives of citizens.”

The dispute over Arab-backed coalition politics unfolded against a backdrop of election timing and coalition arithmetic, with Anadolu Ajansı stating that unless early polls are called, Israel’s next general elections are scheduled for October. The same report said polls indicated Netanyahu’s bloc could win around 50 seats, the opposition about 60, and Arab parties about 10, while a government needs at least 61 members in the 120-seat Knesset. RTBF described how Netanyahu’s conservative Likud formed a majority with Shas, United Torah Judaism, and three far-right formations—Otzma Yehudit, the Religious Zionist Party, and Noam—totaling 64 seats out of 120 in the Knesset. In that context, RTBF said small parties can “literally blackmail the prime minister” by threatening to quit if demands are not met, and it quoted Michel Liégeois saying, “The political landscape is fragmented; forming government majorities is a real headache in Israel.”

“First, the fragmentation of political parties”

RTBF