Jewish politician Yoav Segalovitz is set to run second on the slate of the conservative Islamic Ra’am party in Israel’s 27 October election, an unusual alliance that could strengthen the opposition to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Segalovitz, a former deputy minister of national security, will not formally join the party.

“There is a complex history between Arabs and Jews in this country, but we have a shared future”, Segalovitz said at a press conference in Nazareth with Ra’am Chairman Mansour Abbas.

Cooperation between Jewish and Arab parties remains politically sensitive in Israel, but Segalovitz’s candidacy could make such an alliance more acceptable. Polls suggest his inclusion could bring Ra’am two additional seats.

Ra’am, which participated in the previous government under Naftali Bennett, currently holds five seats in the 120-member parliament. With neither Netanyahu’s bloc nor the opposition polling at a majority, the party could again play a decisive role in forming a government.

(dpa, est)