MK Mansour Abbas
MK Mansour Abbasצילום: David Cohen/Flash90

Opposition leaders working to form a new government led by Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid have agreed to ‘unprecedented’ concessions to the Bedouin sector, according to a report by Channel 12 Tuesday morning.

Journalist Amit Segal quoted sources in the United Arab List (Ra’am) who claimed that they had reached agreements in talks with the parties involved in forming the new government that would radically reduce law enforcement efforts against illegal Arab construction across southern Israel in exchange for UAL’s support for the new government.

The sources claimed that they had received promises that the new government would halt all law enforcement actions against illegal Bedouin construction in the Negev, and that the Bedouin Resettlement Authority would be dissolved.

Furthermore, the sources said that they had been assured that the new government will legalize a number of illegal Bedouin settlements in the Negev, and that large numbers of illegal buildings in other Bedouin towns will be retroactively legalized.

Religious Zionist Party chief Bezalel Smotrich responded to the report by accusing the planned government of selling out Zionist values.

“Unfortunately, I no longer expect anything from Bennett and Shaked. They are sprinting towards a left-wing government and nothing will stop them. The question is whether Sa’ar, Elkin, Yoaz, and Sharren will stand in the breach – or if they, too, will enable this liquidation sale of Zionism. It will be a tragedy for generations.”