Former Minister Yoav Segalovitz Joins Arab Israeli Party Ra'am, Defends Decision

Israeli politician Yoav Segalovitz has sparked controversy by announcing his decision to join the Arab Israeli Islamist party Ra'am, led by Mansour Abbas. Segalovitz, who previously served as Deputy Minister of Public Security in the 36th government, is slated to be placed second on Ra'am's list for upcoming elections. In an interview on Channel 13's "Asanaheim" program, Segalovitz addressed public criticism, including accusations of betraying Jewish interests and aligning with Hamas supporters. He vehemently denied these claims, stating that Israeli Arabs did not attack on October 7th, but rather Hamas was responsible, killing Arabs in the process. He highlighted the deaths of 23 Bedouin individuals and praised Bedouin rescuers involved in the Nova music festival massacre.

Segalovitz, a former Member of Knesset for the Yesh Atid party from the 21st to 25th Knessets, also led the "Safe Path" operation to combat crime in the Arab community during his tenure as Deputy Minister. He recently resigned from Yesh Atid and the Knesset before announcing his move to Ra'am. His joining Ra'am makes him the first Jewish candidate in the party's history. Segalovitz stated that the accusations against him are "not true" and pointed to the fact that Hamas, not Israeli Arabs, carried out the October 7th attacks, which also resulted in the deaths of Arab citizens. He also mentioned the Ziadna family, who were among the hostages, as an example of Arab citizens affected by the events.