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Channel 12 hosts Haim Etgar and Maayan Adam clashed on air over integrating Arab parties into coalitions, debating Zionism, loyalty, and political exclusion.
WireIsrael | Oct 31, 2026
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A heated on-air dispute erupted between television hosts Haim Etgar and Maayan Adam during a Channel 12 broadcast, focusing on the inclusion of Arab political parties in future governing coalitions. The clash highlighted deep divisions over the boundaries of political partnership and representation in Israel.
Maayan Adam argued strongly for a government based exclusively on Zionist parties, emphasizing the unique character of the Jewish state. “At the end of the day, this is a Jewish and democratic state, but it is the state of the Jewish people, we have no other country in the world,” Adam stated. She warned against replicating models seen in countries like France, insisting that those who share civic duties and love the country must form the government.
Interrupting her argument, Haim Etgar challenged this exclusion, asking whether Arab citizens should be barred even if they recognize the State of Israel. Adam responded that the core issue lies with the conduct of current Arab representatives in the Knesset, noting that they failed to condemn Hamas following the October 7 attacks.
Etgar countered by citing Ra’am party leader Mansour Abbas as an example of a leader who has expressed clear commitment to the state. He criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, arguing that the political discourse delegitimizing a large segment of the population with civic rights is a dangerous success.
While acknowledging that the Arab public is diverse and includes many professionals hostile to Israel alongside exemplary doctors and engineers, Etgar maintained that judicial vetting determines who may participate in elections. He concluded by warning that excluding citizens from coalitions solely based on their identity echoes troubling historical precedents abroad.
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