World

Jewish ex‑police officer joins Arab Islamist party, sparking debate over Israel’s coalition prospects

By Bhanu Pratap

Yoav Segalovitz, a former Jewish police officer who describes himself as a Zionist, has joined Ra’am, an Arab‑led Islamist party that won eight seats in Israel’s recent election. Segalovitz said before the election that he and party leader Mansour Abbas, who is Arab and religious, share a common goal: "We’re all citizens of Israel. We all take part in this society. If we want to get progress here, we must go in partnership together." He was the only Ra’am politician who did not speak to supporters in Arabic at a party celebration, instead shouting the Hebrew phrase "Kulanu Yisraelim!" (We are all Israelis).

The move has drawn criticism from both sides of the political spectrum. Right‑wing commentators have accused Segalovitz of betraying Israel and warned that Ra’am’s influence could open the door to Islamic law. Some members of the left‑wing Arab‑led Joint List have dismissed the alliance as a political branding exercise aimed at making Ra’am more palatable to mainstream parties, rather than addressing Arab community issues. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his allies have repeatedly attacked Ra’am; Likud sought to disqualify the party from contesting the election and spread unsubstantiated claims that the election had been "stolen" by Arab‑led parties. Segalovitz responded to these attacks on X, saying that “incitement, racism, and exclusion” were among the biggest threats to Israel’s strength and resilience.

Ra’am’s participation in the 120‑member Knesset gives Arab‑led parties a combined 19 seats, potentially allowing them to influence the formation of the next government. Their role will depend on whether Jewish‑led opposition parties are willing to cooperate. Only once has an Arab party joined an Israeli governing coalition: in 2021 Ra’am was part of a coalition that lasted about 18 months. Former military chief Gadi Eisenkot has set conditions for cooperation with Arab‑led parties, including recognition of Israel as a Jewish and democratic state and a declaration that Hamas is a terrorist organization that must be dismantled. Abbas has acknowledged Israel as a Jewish state and condemned Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack, but has resisted formally labeling Hamas a terrorist organization, describing such demands as a political trap and a loyalty test set by extremists.

The second part of the report profiles journalist Bhanu Pratap. He writes on foreign affairs, India’s foreign policy, geopolitics, and strategic affairs, and focuses on diplomatic developments in New Delhi, defence and national security, and humanitarian angles. He has produced in‑depth, interview‑based reports and has been cited by the United Nations in its findings on human rights violations linked to the war in Ukraine. Pratap has worked with Firstpost, NDTV, Newslaundry, and Republic. He studied at the Delhi School of Journalism, University of Delhi, and originally planned to pursue engineering before turning to journalism. Outside the newsroom, he enjoys exploring culture and history, heritage walks, travelling, biking, and listening to folk music. He can be contacted at bhanu.pratap@htdigital.in.