Former Knesset member and senior police official Yoav Segalovich announced on Monday that he will be joining the United Arab List (Ra’am) party, signaling a renewed effort at Jewish-Arab political cooperation in Israel despite lingering tensions following the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023. The decision came after the United Arab List, led by MK Mansour Abbas, approved including Segalovich on its slate for the upcoming national election.
Segalovich emphasized the importance of cross-communal political partnership as a prerequisite for meaningful change in Israel’s domestic landscape. “Israel cannot achieve meaningful change without political cooperation across communal lines,” he said during the announcement.
Mansour Abbas, speaking alongside Segalovich, highlighted the necessity of partnership to address ongoing issues, particularly in the area of crime. “I have learned one thing in recent years: To bring about change, you need partnership,” Abbas said. He acknowledged that some political actors fear partnering across ethnic lines due to concerns about public perception and potential political losses.
Abbas praised Segalovich’s expertise and professionalism, recalling their previous collaboration during the last government, where both were involved in public security efforts. “He is one of Israel’s leading professionals on crime, who has confronted criminals regardless of their religion,” Abbas said. “I’m looking for someone who knows how to do the job.”
Abbas further framed their joint effort as a pragmatic approach to tackling crime, rejecting the notion that the initiative benefits only one community. “This proposal is not ‘good for Arabs’ alone,” he asserted, “but rather the only way this country has ever defeated crime—the one time it truly tried: Arabs and Jews, together, with a professional leading the effort.”
Segalovich, who previously served as deputy minister of public security and was a member of the Yesh Atid party, had a long career in law enforcement before entering politics. His move to join the United Arab List represents a notable development in Israeli politics, underscoring the potential for cooperation between Jewish and Arab politicians despite ongoing security and societal challenges. The upcoming election will test the appeal of this cross-communal approach amid a highly charged political environment.