Arab Israeli Party Ra'am Adds Retired Police Commissioner Yoav Segalovitch to Knesset List

The head of the United Arab List (Ra'am), MK Mansour Abbas, announced Tuesday that retired Police Commissioner Yoav Segalovitch will join Ra'am's Knesset list for the upcoming elections. The move is part of a political partnership between the two leaders, who held a press conference to detail their collaboration.

Abbas emphasized that combating crime and violence within the Arab community is a national priority for Ra'am, not merely a platform plank. He stated that the safety of children is the primary concern for Arab parents, highlighting the daily impact of crime on innocent civilians. Abbas explained that his experience has shown him that change requires partnership across different segments of Israeli society, stressing the need to see others as human beings, not enemies.

Ra'am, Abbas asserted, is not afraid of the political cost associated with partnering with individuals outside the Arab community. He recalled his positive working relationship with Segalovitch during the previous "change government," when Segalovitch served as Minister of Public Security. Abbas credited their joint efforts with reversing a trend of rising crime in the Arab community, noting that crime rates have increased again since their collaboration ended, resulting in nearly a thousand deaths over the past four years.

Abbas explained that Ra'am decided to bring Segalovitch onto the list now, before the elections, because those who believe in partnership should not wait for convenience. He addressed anticipated criticism of a Jewish police commissioner joining an Arab party, stating that his focus is on professional capability, not similarity. Abbas also appealed to the Jewish public, arguing that crime in the Arab community affects all of Israel, as weapons and organized crime do not respect community boundaries.

Abbas framed the partnership as part of a broader vision for Jewish-Arab cooperation within Israel.