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.23
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.181925 On September 24 the Central Elections Committee decided to bar the list from the election.25 On October 2 the Supreme Court accepted Ra'am's appeal and overturned that decision, so Ra'am is on the ballot.25 News reports say all nine justices on the panel agreed.26 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."23
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.2324 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."23 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, 2025.1 It's from before the campaign, and it's about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.1 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."39 I've also used one TV interview and one speech Abbas gave on the record, and I'll say when I'm quoting one.1618
Ra'am's positions, topic by topic
The same twelve topics, in the same order, for every party. Where nothing was published, the episode says so.
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.123 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.1 It lays out a sequence of steps.1 An immediate permanent ceasefire, the release of all the hostages, and a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.1 Security forces from Arab and Islamic countries in Gaza, at Palestinian request, and a technocratic Palestinian government for four years.1 Then a UN Security Council resolution recognizing a Palestinian state, after which that state would have to disarm all the Palestinian factions.1 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.1
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.16 He said the party works for peace, reconciliation and, in his words, "an end to the occupation and the conflict."16 In an interview on Channel 12 on September 5, he said he condemned what Hamas did on October 7.18
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 every party says about the economy and the cost of living
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.23 It wants to shift policy, in its words, "from demolition and fines to planning, building and development."23 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.23 And it would expand the law that let unlicensed Arab homes connect to electricity.23 There are no figures or timelines for any of this.23
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.3 Ra'am hasn't published that plan.3 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.23 That detailed plan isn't published either.23
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 every party says about social welfare, pensions and the elderly
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."23 The plan itself isn't published.23 The brochure says the current government stopped the previous plan.23
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.23 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.23 For Arabs in mixed cities, it says Ra'am will work to double the budgets set aside for them.23 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.23
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.5 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."18
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 every party says about immigration, absorption and 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."23 I found nothing on the environment or energy.
What every party says about the environment, energy and transportation
What Ra'am puts front and center
The brochure's second page lists three goals for a Ra'am vote.23 Bring down what it calls the Netanyahu, Ben Gvir, Smotrich government.23 Replace it with a new "government of change" where Ra'am has influence.23 And keep what it calls "the racist right" in opposition for four years.23 The cover slogan says the same thing: "We're the ones who changed Netanyahu, and only we will change him."23 The other thing the campaign puts forward is Segalovich himself, a Jewish candidate second on an Arab party's list.619 In the Channel 12 interview, Abbas called the pairing "the citizens' alliance."18
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.
Sources
Everything above comes from what Ra'am made public: its platform, website and official accounts, and on-the-record statements by its leaders. Each line was checked against a saved copy of its source. Most sources are in Hebrew.
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Transcript
The words as spoken in the episode, from its captions. Select a time to listen from there.
Full transcript
Intro
ram put out its first campaign brochure on october 10th it isn't labeled a platform but it lists what the party says will work on after the election from a new plan against crime to more arab members on the committees that approve building plans this is close read and this is a series of what israel's parties are promising to do in their own published words for english-speaking voters
About this series
ahead of the october 27th election one party per episode i only use the party itself as made public their platform their website their official accounts and on the record statements by their leaders if they didn't publish it it doesn't count and if they publish nothing that's the episode ram the united arab list runs under the ballot letters ayin mem led by mansoor abbas with
Who they are
retired police major general yoav segalovich second on the list on september 24th the central election committee decided to bar the list from the election on october 2nd the supreme court accepted ram's appeal and overturned that decision so ram is on the ballot news reports say all nine justices on the panel agreed their brochure answers the ruling in one line ram says it is continuing toward changing the government and toward quote greater influence for arab society end quote there's still no document ram calls a platform and no party website what there is
What they've published
comes in three pieces the newest is a brochure 12 pages in arabic linked from abbas's instagram most of it goes through government plans ram says it won when it sat in the 2021 to 2022 coalition and after each one there's a box headed quote this is what we will work on after the election end quote 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 ram's chair on march 2nd 2025 it's from before the campaign and it's about the israeli palestinian conflict the third is a run of campaign posts and abbas's official instagram and facebook accounts almost all in arabic under the slogan toward greater influence i've also used one tv interview and one speech abbas gave on the record and i'll say when i'm quoting one the brochure doesn't cover security or foreign policy so this comes from the bridges plan it calls
Security and foreign policy
for a palestinian state alongside israel on the territory israel capture in 1967 the west bank east jerusalem and gaza with limited and equal changes to the border it lays out a sequence of steps an immediate permanent ceasefire the release of all the hostages and a full israeli withdrawal from gaza security forces from arab and islamic countries in gaza at palestinian request and a technocratic palestinian government for four years then a un security council resolution recognizing a palestinian state after which that state would have to disarm all the palestinian factions on israel's side the plan asks for an end to a halt to settlement expansion and an end to settler violence in a speech at ram's party conference on august 22nd 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 ram wants them to recognize it too he said the party works for peace reconciliation and in his words quote an end to the occupation and the conflict end quote in an interview on channel 12 channel 12 september 5th he said he condemned what hamas did on october 7th i couldn't find a published position on a state commission of inquiry on october 7th
October 7, Economy: no stated position
on the economy or the cost of living i found nothing published housing and planning is where the brochure is most specific it says ram will work to reform the planning and
Housing
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 it wants to shift policy in its words quote from demolition and fines to planning building and development end quote 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 and it would expand the law that let unlicensed arab homes connect to electricity there are no figures or timelines for any of this the negev villages come up on their own on september 24th a post on abbas's account said that he and mk waleed al hawashallah had adopted a plan written by the regional council of unrecognized villages to stop demolitions and get the villages recognized ram hasn't published that plan the brochure says ram 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 that detailed plan isn't published either i couldn't find anything on housing prices or supply more broadly i couldn't find a published position from the party on
Religion and state, Courts and governance: no stated position
any topic related to religion and state i couldn't find a published position from the party on anything related to the courts or the attorney general on the topic of education policy i found nothing published in any of the source materials nothing on welfare on pensions or on the elderly either
Social welfare, pensions, and the elderly
on crime this is where the most of the brochure that we're referencing sits it says
Arab citizens and minorities
ram 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 quote with full powers the plan itself isn't published the brochure says the current government stopped the previous plan on budgets it promises a new and larger version of takadum the five-year plan for arab society from 2021 built around a basket of services for each town it also promises new development plans for arab towns in the negev and for druze and carcassian villages help for arab towns to sit inside regional councils and similar plans for other towns with resources aimed at towns in most need for arabs in mixed cities it says ram will work to double the budget set aside for them the brochure gives no budget figures for any of the new plans the numbers it prints like 30 billion shekels for takadum are for the old ones a post from meeting with bedouin communities in the north says ram mks and candidates told the meeting that ram is determined to confront the policies of home demolition racism and discrimination and to strengthen arab jewish partnership in the same channel 12 interview on september 5th abbas said arab citizens didn't choose a jewish state but accepted as reality and work so that quote their status is not less than that of any jewish citizen i could not find a published position on immigration absorption
Immigration, Environment
or on the diaspora on transportation the brochure promises to carry out and expand a 10-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 i found nothing on the environment or on energy their brochure's second page lists three goals for a ram vote
What they put front and center
bring down what it calls the netanyahu bangvir smotrich government replace it with a new quote government of change where ram has influence and keep what it calls quote the racist right in opposition for four years the cover slogan says the same thing quote we're the ones who changed netanyahu and only we will change him end quote the other thing the campaign puts forward is segalovich himself a jewish candidate second on an arab party's list in channel 12 interview abbas called the pairing quote the citizens alliance ram hasn't published anything i could find on the economy religion and state the courts education
What's missing
health welfare immigration or the environment and nothing on an october 7th inquiry the new brochure is about budgets for arab towns planning and housing the negev and crime it's written position on security the palestinians is still the 2025 peace plan that's what ram has put in writing as of this recording every source i use was linked in description most of them in arabic or hebrew so you can read them yourself if they publish more before october 27th i will do my best to pin an update in the comments next is list number 19 shas and the full playlist is linked below the close read is free to watch and if you'd like to support it my patreon is linked in the description thank you very much
