Netanyahu’s Abu Yair Campaign and Crime in Arab Communities

Marhaba, marhaba, ya hala! You must be, uh, asking yourselves who I'm greeting with such cheers in Arabic at the opening of the show. What do you mean, who? Abu— Yair. No, no. Not Yair Golan, not Yair Lapid, the original Abu Yair,

our one and only prime minister, Mr. Benjamin Abu Yair Netanyahu. Tell me, do you remember this?

I just passed through Be'er. The young people were there in the street, waving and saying, Abu Yair, Abu Yair, Abu Yair. They get it, they know it's real.

Abu Yair, Abu Yair. Of course you remember. What do you mean, remember? You remember it very, very well.

The glorious Abu Yair campaign, the campaign that began the process of preparing Mansour Abbas to join a right-wing government. The process that led Netanyahu's mouthpieces to call Mansour Abbas no less than a leader ahead of his time, and led Netanyahu's associates to write articles titled, "The time has come

to reach out to the Arabs," penned by Nathan Eshel.

What do you mean, reach out? He went so far as to say that it was time for them, the Arabs, to take part in leading the country. But seriously, why am I confusing you with things from the past, long outdated and irrelevant?

Because, after all, there's no such thing anymore as taking the Arabs into account, certainly not after October 7. Arabs are disgusting.

Arabs are the enemy. It's the Change Bloc that's going to bring those Arabs down on us again and form a government with them.

They're the traitors. We, in power, don't even think about the Arabs.

But then, Netanyahu woke up this morning and apparently dreamed in Arabic, and suddenly started tweeting in Arabic. And what does he say there in Arabic? The language of the enemy, right? “We will strike with an iron fist against criminal organizations in Arab society. Signed, Abu Yair.”

“Signed” is my addition, okay? Now, what is there to say about this? Really.

Good morning, my people, Abu Yair. Where have you been for the past four years? After nine hundred and sixty people murdered in Arab society. The truth is, me, I…

Lucy, personally, this campaign really knocked me off my chair. Why? Because the last time your poison machine decided to come after me was over that Inshallah video you took out of context.

A week ago, bereaved Arab families came to the Knesset.

Yes, there are families who lost their children to terrorism, crime and violence in Arab society. And what did those two observant women have to say to families whose children were murdered? Oh.

Then Ms. Gottlieb walked behind them and shouted, “Give up your weapons!” And Ms. Sharona Melech went even further with her support, calling them terrorists.

Mm, remember the context? That was the context, to remind you, for every Abu Yair campaign, crime in Arab society, in response to which I said Arabs would turn out to vote in droves.

Inshallah. Now, never mind that your people and supporters made my life a living hell for a month and came to threaten me right at my front door.

The fact that you are now going back to the Arab vote and actually asking Arab citizens to vote for you is the height of hypocrisy.

The ratings. Now I understand that in a second and a half, all your mouthpieces will start spreading the message about how terrible things are in Arab society, and how we have to deal with the rampant crime there. What do you mean, “deal with it”?

Arabs are citizens of this country, after all, right, Mr. Abu Yair?

Well, we’re used to you thinking that the citizens are stupid, and now the Arab citizens are joining the club too.

It’s just that when you’re short on seats, well, who do you turn to? Ah, the Arabs.

And that’s exactly the point. The point is, the anger isn’t directed at you, Mr. Abu Yair.

The anger is directed at the leaders of the Change Bloc. What will happen in your wake is that they’ll rediscover the Arabic language and start tweeting in Arabic. Because what’s the deal? Life goes on as usual, and once again those vying for the leadership crown, for the crown of change, are a step

and a half behind Netanyahu, waiting for him to give the go-ahead to recognize Arab citizens as a partner. And now, after Netanyahu’s seal of approval, surely we’ll hear you finally address Arab citizens in your campaign, you cowards.

Cowards. Honestly Not all of you. One person will get credit for the backbone and leadership courage he showed, and that's Yoav Segalovitz.

And the truth is, he got ahead of Netanyahu and you, too.

And I have one thing to say to Abu Yair.

God willing, the Arabs will go out to vote. How did you put it? For whoever cracks down hard on crime organizations in Arab society.

And I'm afraid—zero chance—that it won't be for whoever last made Ben-Gvir Minister of National Security.

Remind me, who was that, Benjamin Netanyahu or Abu Yair?

A mystery.