Yair Golan, chairman of the Democrats party, has said that he believes in the sincerity of United Arab List (Ra'am) chairman MK Mansour Abbas' intentions.
In an interview with A-Nas Radio, Golan said his party can offer Arab voters the ability to exert influence, since the key question is the balance of power in the next government, and it is "clear" that the Democrats will likely receive more senior and significant ministerial portfolios.
Golan also claimed that effectively combating crime requires political power.
In addition, Golan promised that the Democrats would be able to work with Ra'am, Mansour Abbas, and Yoav Segalovich, who is currently considering joining Ra'am.
In this context, Golan added, "Mansour Abbas and Yoav Segalovich are truly people about whose good intentions I have no doubt." In his opinion Segalovich joining Ra'am would be "an important move" that "emphasizes the essential partnership, because there really is no other future for the State of Israel except through Jewish-Arab partnership."
When asked about the distribution of votes among Arab Israelis in the upcoming elections, Golan urged the parties to work together to increase voter turnout and create a true alternative government.
Last year, Golan told the Times of Israel that "as long as they get their pound of flesh," the haredi parties are "willing to sit in any government."
Golan said he is willing to sit with haredi parties in a government if politically necessary, but emphasized: "What’s good for Israel is a coalition ranging from [Naftali] Bennett to Mansour Abbas of Ra’am (United Arab List), led from within by the liberal-democratic camp - not the Right."
At the same time, he ruled out joining any government with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, [National Security Minister] Itamar Ben Gvir, or [Finance Minister] Bezalel Smotrich, but said he would consider cooperating with haredi parties if circumstances required.
"We all understand that we need each other. We don’t want any of the current coalition parties. They are destructive: a corrupt Likud, the extreme nationalists Ben Gvir and Smotrich, and the haredim who are destroying the country," he said.