Nazareth mayor Ali Salam released a rather unusual statement on Wednesday for a political leader of the Israeli-Arab population.

Standing in front of an Israeli flag, Salam said: “I want to say from Nazareth here, from the city of of renewal, that we are good. We are Israeli Arabs and our country is good for us and we will continue to live together.”

Regarding the Joint Arab List, a Knesset party who Salam opposes for promoting violent protests in his city said “I don’t care about the Joint List” who he blasted as “washed up communists.”

Salam, a Muslim, is also a supporter of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently saying: “What the Prime Minister did, no one does. Our lives have never been better than it is now.” Salam praised Netanyahu for his role in the Abraham Accords as well as his handling of the corona crisis.

“We promise that we will support you and will contribute. There is no other leader in Israel like you who can give to both the Arabs and Jews.”

Amit Deri, Head of Israel advocacy group Reservists on Duty, who witnessed Salam’s address said that the Nazareth mayor is “opening doors that should have been opened a while ago: joint cooperation between the Jewish (right-wing) majority and the Israeli Arabs for their own good.”

“This is truly a historic moment, I’m not exaggerating – certainly for Israeli Arabs. If for this reason alone we go to elections, it would suffice” he concluded.