Election alliances shift as right-wing fragmentation and cross-sector moves reshape the map

Segalovich joins Ra'am; Smotrich and Feiglin near a deal; Golan keeps the door open for Bennett.

Election alliances shift as right-wing fragmentation and cross-sector moves reshape the map — Former Deputy Minister Yoav Segalovich announced this evening his official joining of the Ra'am list headed by Mansour Abbas, calling the claim that partnership with Arab parties is impossible after October 7 "baseless and false."[^1] Opposition leader Yair Lapid said Segalovich is "mistaken" but respects him for doing what he believes in.[^1] The move gives Ra'am a second established political figure and tests the boundaries of post-October 7 coalition norms. On the right, negotiations between Religious Zionism chairman Bezalel Smotrich and Moshe Feiglin advanced significantly over Sunday and Monday morning, with sources describing the talks as "pleasant and efficient."[^2] Education Minister Yoav Kisch warned that the "ego" of Itamar Ben Gvir and Ofer Vinter could "cost us the West Bank" and called on Vinter to unite with Smotrich to ensure both pass the threshold.[^3] A Channel 12 poll gives Smotrich's party only 2.6% — outside the Knesset — while Vinter's new Am Yisrael party enters with 4 seats.[^4] Yair Golan, chairman of the Democrats party, decided not to commit to recommending Yashar chairman Gadi Eisenkot as prime ministerial candidate, keeping open the possibility of backing Naftali Bennett instead.[^5] The same poll shows the anti-Netanyahu bloc maintaining 70 seats against 50 for the coalition, with Eisenkot leading Netanyahu 43% to 34% on suitability for prime minister.[^4] Meanwhile, police have increased security on Central Elections Committee chairman Justice Noam Sohlberg in recent days, a decision made in the past two weeks.[^6] The race is still fluid, with merger talks and individual calculations still in motion. School year eve: protests, resignations, and road fatalities — Tamir Idan, head of the Sdot Negev Regional Council, announced his resignation to the Interior Ministry today, Monday, just hours before the school year is set to begin. His departure adds to a fraught atmosphere as approximately 2.6 million students and about 260,000 teaching staff are expected to start the year.[^1] Police decided to secure a secular school in the Kiryat Y