A former police investigator who describes himself as a Zionist is expected to take a Knesset seat with Ra’am, adding an unusual Jewish member as the Arab-led party seeks influence in coalition talks.
Gulf News reported Sunday that Yoav Segalovitz, 67, will enter the 120-member parliament on Nov. 10. The outlet said he switched from a centrist Jewish-led party to Ra’am, an Arab-led Islamist party that won eight seats in Tuesday’s election.
Israel’s political groups are trying to form a government without any bloc holding a majority. The Associated Press reported that parties aligned with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have 53 seats, the main Jewish-majority opposition has 48 and Arab-led parties have 19. A majority in the Knesset requires 61 seats.
The opposition and Arab-led parties total 67 seats, but they have not agreed to govern together. The Central Elections Committee has scheduled publication of the official results for Nov. 4 and says the tally could change before then, as noted in EconoTimes’ earlier seat-count coverage.
Segalovitz said his law enforcement experience could help address crime and violence in Arab communities. He has also called for greater political inclusion. “We can’t just ignore 21% of the population,” Segalovitz told The Associated Press.
Ra’am leader Mansour Abbas wants the party to join the next government. Gulf News reported that several Jewish-led opposition parties are reluctant to work with Arab parties and that Likud sought to disqualify Ra’am from the election. The outlet also described criticism from right-wing politicians and doubts among some Arab political rivals about whether the alliance represents meaningful change.
Ra’am joined an Israeli coalition government in 2021, a first for an independent Arab party, Gulf News reported. That government lasted about 18 months. Gulf News said coalition talks are expected to continue for weeks; the committee’s publication of official election results is scheduled for Nov. 4.
