# Ra'am (United Arab List): what they've published Close Read, episode 18. Ra'am (רע"ם), list 18, ballot letters עם. Published October 11, 2026. Israel's Knesset election is on October 27, 2026. - Page: https://closeread.show/israel-2026/raam/ - Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XTL8XsG0ocI - Audio: https://media.closeread.show/audio/closeread-018-raam-5371fe53.mp3 Ra'am put out its first campaign brochure on October 10. It isn't labeled a platform, but it lists what the party says it will work on after the election, from a new plan against crime to more Arab members on the committees that approve building plans. [S23](#source-s23) ## Who is Ra'am? Ra'am, the United Arab List, runs under the ballot letters ayin-mem, led by Mansour Abbas, with retired police major general Yoav Segalovich second on the list. [S18](#source-s18) [S19](#source-s19) [S25](#source-s25) On September 24 the Central Elections Committee decided to bar the list from the election. [S25](#source-s25) On October 2 the Supreme Court accepted Ra'am's appeal and overturned that decision, so Ra'am is on the ballot. [S25](#source-s25) News reports say all nine justices on the panel agreed. [S26](#source-s26) The brochure answers the ruling in one line: Ra'am says it is continuing toward changing the government and toward "greater influence for our Arab society." [S23](#source-s23) ## What has Ra'am published? There's still no document Ra'am calls a platform, and no party website. What there is comes in three pieces. The newest is that brochure, 12 pages in Arabic, linked from Abbas's Instagram. [S23](#source-s23) [S24](#source-s24) Most of it goes through government plans Ra'am says it won when it sat in the 2021 to 2022 coalition, and after each one there's a box headed "this is what we will work on after the election." [S23](#source-s23) Those boxes are what I'm treating as its commitments. The second piece is the "Bridges of Reconciliation and Peace Initiative," a plan in Arabic, Hebrew and English, signed by Abbas as Ra'am chair on March 2, 2025. [S1](#source-s1) It's from before the campaign, and it's about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. [S1](#source-s1) The third is a run of campaign posts on Abbas's official Instagram and Facebook accounts, almost all in Arabic, under the slogan "toward greater influence." [S3](#source-s3) [S9](#source-s9) I've also used one TV interview and one speech Abbas gave on the record, and I'll say when I'm quoting one. [S16](#source-s16) [S18](#source-s18) ## What does Ra'am say about security and foreign policy? The brochure doesn't cover security or foreign policy, so this comes from the Bridges plan. [S1](#source-s1) [S23](#source-s23) It calls for a Palestinian state alongside Israel, on the territory Israel captured in 1967 (the West Bank, East Jerusalem and Gaza), with limited and equal changes to the border. [S1](#source-s1) It lays out a sequence of steps. [S1](#source-s1) An immediate permanent ceasefire, the release of all the hostages, and a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. [S1](#source-s1) Security forces from Arab and Islamic countries in Gaza, at Palestinian request, and a technocratic Palestinian government for four years. [S1](#source-s1) Then a UN Security Council resolution recognizing a Palestinian state, after which that state would have to disarm all the Palestinian factions. [S1](#source-s1) On Israel's side, the plan asks for an end to the Gaza blockade, a halt to settlement expansion, and an end to settler violence. [S1](#source-s1) In a speech at Ra'am's party conference on August 22 of this year, as quoted in Hebrew and Arabic news reports, Abbas said the State of Palestine is recognized by most of the world except the United States and Israel, and that Ra'am wants them to recognize it too. [S16](#source-s16) He said the party works for peace, reconciliation and, in his words, "an end to the occupation and the conflict." [S16](#source-s16) In an interview on Channel 12 on September 5, he said he condemned what Hamas did on October 7. [S18](#source-s18) ## What does Ra'am say about accountability for October 7? I couldn't find a published position on a state commission of inquiry. ## What does Ra'am say about the economy and the cost of living? On the economy or the cost of living, I found nothing published. ## What does Ra'am say about housing? Housing and planning is where the brochure is most specific. It says Ra'am will work to reform the planning and building committees and put more Arab members on them, speed up planning and permits, widen the land Arab towns are allowed to build on, and provide plots for young couples. [S23](#source-s23) It wants to shift policy, in its words, "from demolition and fines to planning, building and development." [S23](#source-s23) It also promises to restart a settlement process between the Israel Land Authority and the tens of thousands of people whose homes stand on its land, and to help Arab tenants in Amidar public housing buy the homes they live in. [S23](#source-s23) And it would expand the law that let unlicensed Arab homes connect to electricity. [S23](#source-s23) There are no figures or timelines for any of this. [S23](#source-s23) The Negev villages come up on their own. On September 24, a post on Abbas's account said that he and MK Walid al-Hawashla had adopted a plan written by the Regional Council of Unrecognized Villages to stop demolitions and get the villages recognized. [S3](#source-s3) Ra'am hasn't published that plan. [S3](#source-s3) The brochure says Ra'am will put recognition of the Negev villages back on the decision-making table, under a detailed plan worked out with that council, and look for ways young couples in those villages can build without facing demolition orders. [S23](#source-s23) That detailed plan isn't published either. [S23](#source-s23) I couldn't find anything on housing prices or supply more broadly. ## What does Ra'am say about religion and state? I couldn't find a published position from the party on religion and state. ## What does Ra'am say about the judiciary and governance? I couldn't find a published position on the courts or the attorney general. ## What does Ra'am say about education? On education policy, I found nothing published. ## What does Ra'am say about health? I found no position on health. ## What does Ra'am say about social welfare, pensions and the elderly? Nothing on welfare, pensions, or the elderly either. ## What does Ra'am say about Arab citizens and minorities? This is where most of the brochure sits. On crime, it says Ra'am has written a new, broader plan against violence and crime, and that in a new government Segalovich would again run that file, in its words, "with full powers." [S23](#source-s23) The plan itself isn't published. [S23](#source-s23) The brochure says the current government stopped the previous plan. [S23](#source-s23) On budgets, it promises a new and larger version of Taqaddum, the five-year plan for Arab society from 2021, built around a basket of services for each town. [S23](#source-s23) It also promises new development plans for Arab towns in the Negev and for Druze and Circassian villages, help for Arab towns that sit inside regional councils, and similar plans for other towns, with resources aimed at the towns in most need. [S23](#source-s23) For Arabs in mixed cities, it says Ra'am will work to double the budgets set aside for them. [S23](#source-s23) The brochure gives no budget figures for any of the new plans. The numbers it prints, like 30 billion shekels for Taqaddum, are for the old ones. [S23](#source-s23) A post from a meeting with Bedouin communities in the north says Ra'am's MKs and candidates told the meeting that Ra'am is determined to confront the policies of home demolition, racism and discrimination, and to strengthen Arab-Jewish partnership. [S5](#source-s5) In the same Channel 12 interview on September 5, Abbas said Arab citizens didn't choose a Jewish state but accept it as reality, and work so that their status is "not less than that of any Jewish citizen." [S18](#source-s18) ## What does Ra'am say about immigration, absorption and the diaspora? I couldn't find a published position on immigration, absorption, or the diaspora. ## What does Ra'am say about the environment, energy and transportation? On transportation, the brochure promises to carry out and expand a ten-year roads and transportation plan for Arab towns, and to bring back budgets that it says the current government moved, in its words, "to the settlements and the coalition agreements." [S23](#source-s23) I found nothing on the environment or energy. ## What Ra'am puts front and center The brochure's second page lists three goals for a Ra'am vote. [S23](#source-s23) Bring down what it calls the Netanyahu, Ben Gvir, Smotrich government. [S23](#source-s23) Replace it with a new "government of change" where Ra'am has influence. [S23](#source-s23) And keep what it calls "the racist right" in opposition for four years. [S23](#source-s23) The cover slogan says the same thing: "We're the ones who changed Netanyahu, and only we will change him." [S23](#source-s23) The other thing the campaign puts forward is Segalovich himself, a Jewish candidate second on an Arab party's list. [S6](#source-s6) [S19](#source-s19) In the Channel 12 interview, Abbas called the pairing "the citizens' alliance." [S18](#source-s18) ## What Ra'am hasn't published Ra'am hasn't published anything I could find on the economy, religion and state, the courts, education, health, welfare, immigration, or the environment, and nothing on an October 7 inquiry. The new brochure is about budgets for Arab towns, planning and housing, the Negev, and crime. Its written position on security and the Palestinians is still the 2025 peace plan. ## Chapters - 0:00 Intro - 0:21 About this series - 0:46 Who they are - 1:24 What they've published - 2:19 Security and foreign policy - 3:40 October 7, Economy: no stated position - 3:51 Housing - 5:21 Religion and state, Courts and governance: no stated position - 5:49 Social welfare, pensions, and the elderly - 6:04 Arab citizens and minorities - 7:42 Immigration, Environment - 8:10 What they put front and center - 8:51 What's missing ## Sources - S1: ["Bridges of Reconciliation and Peace Initiative" (יוזמת גשרים של פיוס ושלום / مبادرة جسور التصالح والسلام). Signed "יוזם התוכנית ח"כ מנסור עבאס, יו"ר הרשימה הערבית המאוחדת, רע"ם, 2/3/2025". Arabic pp. 2 to 9, Hebrew pp. 10 to 16, English pp. 17 to 25 (printed page numbers). Not an election platform; a pre-campaign political plan.](https://jusor-initiative.org/initiative-full-text.pdf) (Policy document (PDF, 28 pp.), Arabic, Hebrew, English, published 2025-03-02 (PDF modified 2025-06-28)) - S2: [jusor-initiative.org, the Bridges initiative site (home, "Initiative Text", "News & Activities"). Links to Abbas's Facebook, Instagram, TikTok. Footer calls it "An independent political initiative from the Joint Arab List" (see README open questions).](https://jusor-initiative.org/) (Website, Arabic, Hebrew, English (JS site), published 2025) - S3: [Abbas and MK Walid al-Hawashla adopt the Regional Council of Unrecognized Villages' plan to stop demolitions and recognize villages](https://www.instagram.com/mansourabbas.me/reel/DdqlWonOMAO/) (Instagram reel (IG1), Arabic, published 2026-09-24) - S4: ["قصر السر.. نحو تأثير أكبر" campaign meeting, Negev](https://www.instagram.com/mansourabbas.me/p/DdtcgOHjoDz/) (Instagram post (IG2), Arabic, published 2026-09-25) - S5: ["العشائر نحو تأثير أكبر" Bedouin clans of the north meeting](https://www.instagram.com/mansourabbas.me/p/Ddykm65Dq6D/) (Instagram post (IG3), same text on Facebook, Arabic, published 2026-09-27) - S6: ["سخنين نحو تأثير أكبر" meeting; Segalovich pledge on crime; Abbas on 61 seats](https://www.instagram.com/mansourabbas.me/p/Ddoi9-MCGYB/) (Instagram post (IG4), Arabic, published 2026-09-23) - S7: ["الطيرة نحو تأثير أكبر" meetings in Tira](https://www.instagram.com/mansourabbas.me/p/DdyJj91jjme/) (Instagram post (IG5), Arabic, published 2026-09-27) - S8: [Kafr Manda meeting responding to the disqualification vote](https://www.instagram.com/mansourabbas.me/p/DdrKcdRiDfy/) (Instagram post (IG6), Arabic, published 2026-09-24) - S9: [Other campaign posts: Ein Mahil (2026-09-25), Kafr Manda (2026-09-21), Eilut (2026-09-20), reels of 2026-09-26 and 2026-07-08](https://www.instagram.com/mansourabbas.me/) (Instagram posts (IG7), Arabic, published 2026-07-08 to 2026-09-26) - S10: [Abbas on "2,100 murdered" and the "government of the October 7 disaster"](https://x.com/mnsorabbas/status/2051561565141299535) (X post (X1), Hebrew, published 2026-05-05) - S11: [Abbas on the disqualification effort and the Shin Bet's duty in an election period](https://x.com/mnsorabbas/status/2058634477673316391) (X post (X2), Hebrew, published 2026-05-24) - S12: [Abbas on the Gaza "transfer" initiative](https://x.com/mnsorabbas/status/1887062697046335561) (X post (X5), pre-campaign, Hebrew, published 2025-02-05) - S13: [Abbas supports police demands for budgets, tools, powers](https://x.com/mnsorabbas/status/1907552712788455480) (X post (X6), pre-campaign, Hebrew, published 2025-04-02) - S14: [Abbas on Negev protests against home demolitions](https://x.com/mnsorabbas/status/1933096609761423372) (X post (X7), pre-campaign, Hebrew, published 2025-06-12) - S15: [Abbas: stop the war, free all hostages, stop starvation, political settlement](https://x.com/mnsorabbas/status/1949482125595713994) (X post (X8), pre-campaign, Hebrew, published 2025-07-27) - S16: [Abbas's speech at the Ra'am general conference in Tayibe, 2026-08-22, on Palestinian statehood. No party-published video or transcript was found; the quote is taken from two independent reports that quote him directly (Walla in Hebrew, Baladna in Arabic). Label "said in a speech."](https://www.walla.co.il/news/politics/3862509) (Speech at party conference (as quoted in press), Hebrew / Arabic (quoted), published 2026-08-22 (reports 2026-08-23)) - S17: [Abbas interview on 103FM, 2026-08-23, explaining the conference remarks and the Bridges initiative](https://www.walla.co.il/news/politics/3862509) (Radio interview (as quoted in press), Hebrew, published 2026-08-23) - S18: [Joint interview with Mansour Abbas and Yoav Segalovich; published transcript on mako.co.il](https://www.mako.co.il/news-israel-elections/2026/Article-12c9bd7e75270a1027.htm) (TV interview (Channel 12 / N12, Dana Weiss, weekend news), Hebrew, published 2026-09-05) - S19: ["רע"ם, הרשימה הערבית המאוחדת. רשימת המועמדים הוגשה מטעם מפלגת רשימת האיחוד הערבי". Published 07.09.2026, updated 08.09.2026. 73 candidates; 1 Abbas Mansour, 2 Segalovich Yoav, 3 Taha Walid.](https://www.idi.org.il/media/32337/%D7%A8%D7%A2%D7%9E.pdf) (Central Elections Committee candidate list page (printout hosted by IDI), Hebrew, published 2026-09-07) - S20: ["עם: רע״ם, הרשימה הערבית המאוחדת (הרשימה אושרה על תנאי, עד להכרעת בית המשפט העליון...)"](https://www.ynet.co.il/news/elections2026/article/sjmed8uqgx) (Ynet list of all ballot letters as published by the CEC, Hebrew, published 2026-09-27) - S21: ["منصور عباس - Mansour Abbas", verified, bio "رئيس القائمة العربية الموحدة \| יו״ר הרשימה הערבית המאוחדת"; lists Instagram mansourabbas.me, X mnsorabbas, TikTok mansour_abbas1](https://www.facebook.com/MansourAbbas.me/) (Facebook page, Arabic / Hebrew, published n/a) - S22: [The Media Line, "Central Elections Committee Votes To Bar Joint List, Ra'am From Knesset Elections": the committee voted 18 to 5 on Wednesday, September 23, to bar Ra'am. Used only for the date of the vote. Superseded for the date by S25: the CEC's own page dates the committee decision September 24, 2026 (the Media Line says the vote was Wednesday, September 23; the session likely ran past midnight, but no saved source says so)](https://themedialine.org/headlines/central-elections-committee-votes-to-bar-joint-list-raam-from-knesset-elections/) (News report of the CEC vote, English, published 2026-09-23) - S23: ["نحو تأثير أكبر": "النشرة الانتخابية الأولى للقائمة العربية الموحدة - انتخابات الكنيست 2026" (the first election bulletin of the United Arab List). Pages 3 to 7 pair each 2021 to 2022 government decision Ra'am credits itself with a box headed "وهذا ما سنعمل عليه بعد الانتخابات" (what we will work on after the election). Also candidate bios (pp. 8 and 9), event photos (pp. 10 and 11), seat arithmetic (p. 12), and a statement on the ruling (p. 7). Not titled a platform (برنامج انتخابي); the announcing post calls it the party's "برنامج عملها في الإطار العام لما بعد الانتخابات" (its work program in general outline for after the election)](https://online.fliphtml5.com/gijql/tgzd/) (Campaign brochure (12-page flipbook), Arabic, published 2026-10-10) - S24: [Post announcing and linking the brochure (S23), on Abbas's verified account](https://www.instagram.com/mansourabbas.me/reel/DeUKE2IOKlf/) (Instagram reel (IG8), Arabic, published 2026-10-10) - S25: [Ra'am list page, updated 04.10.2026: "ב-24 בספטמבר 2026 החליטה ועדת הבחירות המרכזית כי הרשימה מנועה מלהשתתף בבחירות לכנסת ה-26 [...] ב-2 באוקטובר 2026 קיבל בית המשפט העליון את הערעור, ביטל את החלטת הוועדה, וקבע כי הרשימה רשאית להשתתף בבחירות לכנסת ה-26." Also the full 73-name list](https://www.gov.il/he/pages/raam_list18) (Central Elections Committee list page, Hebrew, published 2026-09-07, updated 2026-10-04) - S26: [Ynet, Walla and the Jerusalem Post, 2026-10-02: a nine-justice panel unanimously accepted Ra'am's appeal; summary reasons published, full reasons to follow. Used only for "unanimous" and "nine justices," which S25 does not state](https://www.ynet.co.il/news/elections2026/article/hjw00hep9mx) (News reports of the Supreme Court ruling, Hebrew, English, published 2026-10-02) - S27: [October 2026 campaign posts: meetings in Iksal, Kafr Manda and Jatt; the Ra'am app; a response to a Jabareen speech; reels with caption text only](https://www.instagram.com/mansourabbas.me/) (Instagram posts (IG9 to IG17), Arabic, published 2026-10-08 to 2026-10-11)