Beating polls, Ra’am chief vows to turn achievement into ‘political force,’ says Jewish candidate Segalovitz ‘made history’

The crowd at Ra’am headquarters in Sakhnin roars with joy as exit polls project seven seats for the party, outperforming forecasts in opinion polls that gave the party about five seats.

The cheers turn to jeers and gloats as the screen changes to show National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir’s Otzma Yehudit and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich’s Religious Zionism each winning six seats in Channel 13’s exit poll.

Supporters joyously wave the green Ra’am flag as the party’s thumping jingle plays in the background.

“All of us together achieved this,” party chief Mansour Abbas tells supporters.

“We’ll translate this electoral power into an influential political force,” Abbas says. “We’re here — not on the sidelines.”

Turning to Yoav Segalovitz — the Zionist former lawmaker and senior police officer who mounted an unprecedented run as no. 2 on the party’s list — Abbas adds, in Hebrew: “Brave friend, you made history.”

Segalovitz, speaking in Hebrew, vows to the almost entirely Arab audience: “We’ll make sure your vote will be equal and influential.”

“Arabs, Jews, Christians, Druze, Circassians — Israelis,” he says. “We won’t stay on the side, and I’m with you one hundred percent.”