Former Official's Move to Arab Party Misses Historic Opportunity
The recent joining of Yoav Segalovitz, a retired general and former Deputy Minister of Interior, to Mansour Abbas's Ra'am party was a missed historic opportunity for Israeli politics, according to the article. Segalovitz's move could have symbolized a new model of Jewish-Arab partnership, where a Jewish Israeli views Arab politics not with suspicion but as a legitimate political partner. However, the author argues that the significance of this event was diminished by the language used to frame it.
Instead of a historic declaration on changing Jewish-Arab relations, the focus was on combating crime and the Arab community's participation in national "burden sharing." Segalovitz's emphasis on these issues, rather than on broader questions of Arab citizens' equal rights and their legitimate role in governance, revealed a narrow perspective. The article contends that crime in the Arab community stems from institutional weakness and neglect, requiring more than just a policing approach.
Similarly, the discussion around national service was framed as a prerequisite for equality, reversing the proper order where equality should precede the legitimacy of demanding duties. The author criticizes Segalovitz for not prioritizing the fundamental question of equal citizenship and belonging for Arab Israelis, a sentiment echoed in Arab literature for decades.
Segalovitz's declaration that he "remains himself" after joining Ra'am is seen as problematic, suggesting a lack of commitment to the party's agenda and the constituents who elected him. The article posits that Segalovitz missed a chance to align his actions with the founding principles of Zionism, which included full equality for all citizens, potentially even leading to an Arab prime minister or president, as envisioned by David Ben-Gurion. This perspective would have reframed crime fighting as a national security issue and national service as a discussion of shared civic responsibility, ultimately fostering genuine partnership.
