'He sent them to the polls': Likud activists blame Ben-Gvir for galvanizing Arab voters

ByYANIR YAGNA, AVI SOLOMONOCTOBER 31, 2026 09:51Updated: OCTOBER 31, 2026 09:55

Voter turnout in Rahat, Israel’s largest Bedouin city, approached 80% on Election Day, up from 60.6% in the previous election, amid a surge in participation across communities in the Negev. Arab party campaign offices in the city celebrated the results as a “poke in the eye” for National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir.

Likud activists in southern Israel, meanwhile, blamed the minister for galvanizing Arab voters, arguing that his conduct had seriously damaged the right-wing bloc’s electoral prospects.

Local activists from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party said Ben-Gvir’s aggressive rhetoric and combative statements had failed to deliver electoral gains for the Right in southern Israel. Instead, they argued, he had spurred tens of thousands of Arab voters to cast their ballots.

Election observer describes palpable anger against Ben-Gvir

Rami, a veteran Likud activist who served as an election observer in Rahat, described an atmosphere of anger and tension on the streets and at polling stations.

“The anger was palpable everywhere. Almost every other word out of their mouths was ‘Ben-Gvir.’ It was simply incomprehensible. Over the years, Likud always managed to win a certain share of the Bedouin vote, but this time we were reduced to almost zero there. He simply sent them rushing out of their homes to vote against us,” they said.

Shimon Boker, a member of Likud’s central committee, also sharply criticized the minister’s conduct.

“Ben-Gvir caused serious damage to the national camp and single-handedly added seats to the Arab parties. This has never been the Likud movement’s way. Everyone understands that agricultural crime and illegal construction must be addressed firmly, but that requires action and sound policy, not provocations and unnecessary media noise. He provoked them relentlessly, and the result was that they flocked to the polls in protest,” he explained.

In Rahat, the voter turnout operation ran like a well-oiled machine. Throughout Election Day, residents organized buses and private cars to bring voters to polling stations.

Turnout surpasses mayor's ambitious goal of 75%

Rahat Mayor Talal al-Krenawi had set an ambitious turnout target of 75%, aiming to translate the Negev’s potential pool of 150,000 votes into four seats in the Knesset, Israel’s parliament.

After the exit polls were released, Krenawi expressed satisfaction: “We showed our strength. He wanted to show us who was in charge in Rahat. Now we have shown him.”

Residents stressed that their protest targeted the minister’s demolition policy and statements: “We have no objection in principle to Netanyahu, who has received votes in the Negev in the past. The problem is that Ben-Gvir dragged him into acting against us and damaged the fabric of life.”

Ben-Gvir’s supporters rejected the accusations and blamed Likud instead. Roy, an activist with Ben-Gvir’s Otzma Yehudit party in southern Israel, argued that voters’ longstanding loyalty to Likud had drawn support away from the minister’s party.

“Many residents of outlying communities enthusiastically declared that they would vote for Ben-Gvir, but when the moment came, they hesitated and returned to the familiar Likud ballot," he pointed out. "Netanyahu’s aggressive campaign emphasizing the size of his party drew those votes back to Bibi. Beyond that, you cannot blame Ben-Gvir for Bedouin citizens exercising their right to vote. Does Likud expect us to abandon law enforcement, the removal of illegal encroachments and the fight against crime simply out of fear that they will go to the polls?”

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

“People went out to vote because Ben-Gvir backed us into a corner, incited against us, and focused only on demolishing homes without offering any solution or planning an alternative. He talked about governance and security, but in practice crime continued, while basic needs such as healthcare and infrastructure were forgotten. He ran a political campaign at the population’s expense, and that is what prompted a civic uprising at the ballot box,” he said.

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