How a Jewish ex-police probes chief could revive Mansour Abbas as Israeli Arab kingmaker - analysis

MK Yoav Segalovitz, a former deputy public security minister, plans to leave Yesh Atid and join Ra'am, the Arab party led by Mansour Abbas. The move could make Ra'am a kingmaker in the October 27 election, potentially helping the opposition bloc reach 61 seats. Polls show a deadlock, with Ra'am polling at 5-7 seats. Segalovitz's tenure saw a decline in Arab crime, boosting his popularity.

MK Yoav Segalovitz, a former deputy public security minister and ex-head of the Israel Police's Investigations and Intelligence Division, is planning to leave the Yesh Atid party and join Ra'am, the Arab party led by Mansour Abbas. The move, confirmed by pollster Yousef Makladeh and an official statement, could reshape Israel's political landscape ahead of the October 27 election. If Segalovitz joins, he would be the first member of a Zionist party in decades to join an Arab-led party, potentially making Ra'am a kingmaker again. Polls show neither Netanyahu's bloc nor the opposition, led by Gadi Eisenkot, reaching 61 seats, with Ra'am polling at 5-7 seats. Segalovitz, who served as deputy minister in the Bennett-Lapid government, was credited with reducing crime in Arab communities, with murders falling from 126 to 116 during his tenure, then rising to 244 after he left. His popularity among Arab Israelis could make Ra'am more palatable to the public. The article notes wariness about an Arab party in coalition, citing the collapse of the 2021 government and the trauma of October 7, 2023.