Jerusalem, Nov. 11 -- Ra'am party leader Mansour Abbas on Wednesday accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of using his position to incite against the Arab community, while claiming that a confidant of the premier recently contacted him to gauge his party's position on a possible coalition to replace the incumbent government.

According to The Times of Israel, Abbas told the Kan public broadcaster that Natan Eshel, a confidant of Netanyahu, had recently sent him a message on behalf of the premier.

"He was interested in our position regarding a law banning criminal defendants from serving as premier, and whether we will join a coalition to replace Netanyahu's government," Abbas said.

Responding to Likud's denial that Netanyahu...