Segalovitz will only join Ra’am if it recognizes Israel as a Jewish state

MK Yoav Segalovitz, a member of the centrist Together alliance, is considering joining the Islamist Ra’am party, but only if it recognizes Israel as a Jewish and democratic state and supports national civilian service for Arab citizens. He and Ra’am leader Mansour Abbas have held talks, with Abbas promising internal reforms, including severing ties with the Islamic Shura Council and holding primaries on August 22. The initiative faces opposition, but could boost Arab voter turnout and clarify distinctions among Arab factions.

MK Yoav Segalovitz, a former deputy police commissioner and current member of the centrist Together alliance, is considering joining the Islamist Ra’am party, but only if it recognizes Israel as a Jewish and democratic state and supports national civilian service for Arab citizens. He envisions an intercommunal partnership that could break the paradigm of Arab exclusion from decision-making. Segalovitz and Ra’am leader Mansour Abbas have held in-depth discussions; Abbas promised internal reforms, including severing ties with the Islamic Shura Council and holding primaries on August 22. The initiative faces considerable internal opposition, with Abbas issuing a reserved statement. Segalovitz is popular in the Arab sector due to his work against organized crime, but Ra’am has yet to fully accept an alliance with a former senior police officer. The alliance could boost Arab voter turnout and clarify distinctions among Arab factions, and might temper opposition within the anti-Netanyahu bloc. Right-wing leaders like Bennett and Liberman have said they will only sit with Zionist parties, but they previously sat with Ra’am in the 2021–2022 government. Political commentator Hanan Crystal warned that right-wing parties may try to disqualify Ra’am as a terror-supporting party.