Likud Insiders Blame Ben-Gvir for Sparking Unprecedented Arab Voter Turnout in the Negev

Voter participation in Rahat, Israel’s largest Bedouin city, neared 80% on Election Day, a sharp increase from 60.6% in the prior vote, reflecting a broader surge in engagement across Negev communities. Arab political campaign offices in the city marked the results as a direct rebuke to National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir.

Likud activists in southern Israel, however, pointed to the minister as the driving force behind the Arab voter mobilization, contending that his actions severely undermined the right-wing bloc’s electoral outlook.

Local members of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party asserted that Ben-Gvir’s confrontational rhetoric and inflammatory statements failed to produce gains for the Right in southern Israel. Instead, they maintained, he motivated tens of thousands of Arab voters to go to the polls.

Election Observer Recounts Visible Hostility Toward Ben-Gvir

Rami, a seasoned Likud activist who served as an election observer in Rahat, described a palpable atmosphere of anger and tension throughout the city and at voting sites.

“The anger was unmistakable,” Rami said. “The name ‘Ben-Gvir’ was on nearly everyone’s lips. It was extraordinary. For years, Likud secured a portion of the Bedouin vote, but this time our support there fell to virtually zero. He effectively drove them out of their homes to vote against us.”

Shimon Boker, a member of Likud’s central committee, likewise condemned the minister’s conduct.

“Ben-Gvir inflicted serious damage on the national camp and effectively handed seats to Arab parties,” Boker said. “That has never been the Likud approach. Everyone recognizes that agricultural crime and illegal construction require firm action and sound policy, not provocations and unnecessary media spectacle. He provoked them relentlessly, and they responded by turning out in protest.”

In Rahat, the voter mobilization effort functioned with remarkable efficiency. Throughout Election Day, residents coordinated buses and private vehicles to transport voters to polling stations.

Turnout Exceeds Mayor’s Ambitious 75% Target

Rahat Mayor Talal al-Krenawi had established an ambitious turnout goal of 75%, seeking to convert the Negev’s potential pool of 150,000 votes into four Knesset seats.

Following the release of exit polls, Krenawi expressed satisfaction: “We demonstrated our strength. He sought to assert dominance over Rahat. Now we have shown him otherwise.”

Residents emphasized that their protest was directed at the minister’s demolition policy and public statements: “We do not fundamentally object to Netanyahu, who has received support in the Negev in the past. The issue is that Ben-Gvir drew him into actions against us and damaged the fabric of daily life.”

Ben-Gvir’s supporters dismissed the allegations and placed responsibility on Likud instead. Roy, an activist with Ben-Gvir’s Otzma Yehudit party in southern Israel, argued that entrenched loyalty to Likud had diverted support from the minister’s party.

“Many residents in peripheral communities said they would vote for Ben-Gvir, but when the moment arrived, they hesitated and returned to the familiar Likud ballot,” Roy noted. “Netanyahu’s aggressive campaign, which emphasized the scale of his party, drew those votes back to Netanyahu. Beyond that, Ben-Gvir cannot be blamed for Bedouin citizens exercising their right to vote. Is Likud suggesting that we abandon law enforcement, the removal of illegal encroachments, and the fight against crime merely out of fear that people will vote?”

Bedouin residents offered a contrasting perspective. Raed Abu al-Qi’an, a Hura resident in the Negev who had predicted high turnout before the election, said the mass mobilization reflected a widespread sense of being under siege.

“People voted because Ben-Gvir backed us into a corner, incited against us, and focused exclusively on demolishing homes without offering any solution or alternative,” Abu al-Qi’an said. “He spoke of governance and security, yet crime persisted while basic needs such as healthcare and infrastructure were neglected. He conducted a political campaign at the population’s expense, and that is what prompted a civic uprising at the ballot box.”

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