Yesh Atid defector Segalovitz exits Knesset; path to Ra’am still foggy

By Sam Sokol 9 August 2026, 10:52 am

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Sam Sokol is a former political correspondent at The Times of Israel. He was previously a reporter for the Jerusalem Post, Jewish Telegraphic Agency and Haaretz. He is the author of "Putin’s Hybrid War and the Jews"

Deputy Public Security Minister Yoav Segalovitz speaks at a Knesset Public Security Committee meeting on April 10, 2022. (Gal Cohen/Knesset)

Yesh Atid MK Yoav Segalovitz submits his resignation letter to Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana, three days after announcing that he was leaving Opposition Leader Yair Lapid’s Yesh Atid party.

In a statement, Ohana’s spokesman says that according to the Yesh Atid list, Segalovitz is slated to be replaced in the Knesset by Michal Slawny Cababia. Cababia is an American immigrant who has headed the Yesh Atid English Speakers branch.

Segalovitz informed fellow Yesh Atid members on Thursday that he was leaving the centrist party, amid reported talks for him to become the first Jewish member of the Arab Islamist Ra’am party, headed by Mansour Abbas.

He has yet to confirm that he intends to join Ra’am, but he also hasn’t denied considering the unprecedented move.

His move to join the party could make it easier for Zionist parties aligned against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to ally with Ra’am in a government, potentially shaking up coalition calculus following the October election.