Ra'am’s Historic Recruitment of Jewish Former Police Official Yoav Segalovitz Ahead of the October 27 Election

On Monday, Ra’am chairman Mansour Abbas and former deputy public-security minister Yoav Segalovitz announced that Segalovitz will run on Ra’am’s list for the upcoming Knesset election on October 27. Segalovitz, a former Yesh Atid member and architect of the police’s Lahav 433 unit, will occupy the second slot behind Abbas. This is the first time a Jewish candidate will appear on the ballot of the United Arab List, an Islamist-conservative party founded in 1996.

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Ra’am emerged from the Southern Branch of the Islamic Movement and entered the Knesset in 1996. In the 25th Knesset it held five seats and, in 2021, became the first Arab party to join a governing coalition. Over the past year the party has separated its organizational structures from the Islamic Movement, creating its own political department, executive committee and constitution. Abbas frames this “integrationist” approach as a way to address crime, housing and economic needs while acknowledging Israel’s character as a Jewish state.

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• May 25, 2026 – Members of the Hadash–Ta’al faction met in the Knesset, underscoring a broader realignment of Arab parties ahead of the election.

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• October 27 – Scheduled date for the national election in which Ra’am will field Segalovitz.

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• Ra’am is polling at roughly 4–5 seats nationally.

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• A poll showed 56 % of opposition voters would support a coalition that includes Ra’am with Segalovitz, while 30 % opposed it.

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Abbas presented the partnership as a pragmatic step toward “partnership” and “work to do together,” arguing that a seasoned security professional would help address high crime rates in Arab-majority towns.

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Likud officials responded sharply. National-Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir accused the move of furthering a “joint conspiracy” to establish a Palestinian state, and Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana described the alliance as an attempt to legitimize an “Islamist list” in a future right-wing government.

Times of Israel

• “There are people who are afraid of partnership,” — Mansour Abbas, Ra’am chairman

New York Times

• “The common assertion that after October 7 it is impossible to maintain a political partnership with Arab parties is baseless and false,” — Yoav Segalovitz

Times of Israel

The alliance could make Ra’am a more acceptable coalition partner for centrist and right-leaning blocs, potentially reshaping the balance of power in a fragmented parliament. By presenting a “bridge” between Jewish and Arab communities, Ra’am hopes to move Arab voters from a marginal, protest-based existence to active participation in government decision-making.

The Jerusalem Post

Some outlets reported that Segalovitz’s participation was conditioned on Ra’am’s recognition of Israel as a Jewish state, while the joint press conference made no such stipulation. The precise terms of any future coalition agreement remain undisclosed.

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The election on October 27 will determine whether Ra’am’s cross-communal strategy translates into parliamentary influence. Post-election coalition negotiations are expected to intensify, with both the opposition bloc and potential right-wing partners assessing the viability of including Ra’am and Segalovitz in a governing coalition.

The Jerusalem Post