Jewish Zionist Yoav Segalovitz Joins Arab Raam Party for Upcoming Israeli Election

Yoav Segalovitz, a Jewish Israeli and former Vice Minister for Police Affairs from the centrist Yesh Atid party, has announced his candidacy on the list for the Arab Raam party. Segalovitz will run at list position two for the party led by Mansur Abbas. This move marks the first time a Jewish Israeli from the centrist camp who identifies as a Zionist has run on the list of an Arab party. The development comes ahead of the Israeli parliamentary election scheduled for October 27. Analysts suggest the maneuver is intended to facilitate a change in government by making Raam a more viable coalition partner to oust Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Raam, which has roots in the Muslim Brotherhood, has shifted toward a more pragmatic focus on the daily concerns of Arab Israelis, such as personal security and crime. A survey by the Konrad Adenauer Foundation indicates that over 77 percent of Arab Israelis support the participation of an Arab party in government. While some center right framing views this alliance as a dangerous threat to Netanyahu, center framing presents the event as a question of political motivation within the context of election season hijinks.