As the Bloc Battle Tightens: Will the Bedouin Vote Decide the Elections?
With 33 days until the Knesset elections, a tour of Negev Bedouin localities reveals diverse political intentions, potential protest votes against Itamar Ben Gvir, and possible alliances with Gadi Eisenkot.
With thirty-three days remaining until the 26th Knesset elections, we visited Bedouin localities in the Negev to feel the pulse and hear where the Bedouin vote is heading—a vote courted by quite a few parties.
We begin our tour at the daily parliament at the entrance to the city of Rahat, where we meet residents engaged in a discussion about the elections. Between the lines, we understand that not everyone intends to vote for the Arab lists. Another resident shares that he will vote exclusively for the Arab lists, expressing certainty that they will ally with Gadi Eisenkot immediately after the elections.
From there, we continue to the local Bedouin market, as it is well known that the market is a central election arena. From conversations with residents passing through the market, one can conclude that in the Bedouin sector they are confident—this time they will succeed in replacing the government.
A large portion of those we met intend to cast a protest vote against Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, following the hundreds-of-percent increase in home demolitions in recent years. However, among the residents we met, there were also those who preferred not to reveal the party they intend to vote for.
At the end of the tour, we reached several conclusions: a large part of the Bedouin sector in the Negev intends to vote for the Arab parties, which they estimate will ally with Gadi Eisenkot; another portion will vote for The Democrats led by Yair Golan, and very few intend to vote for Likud—though they chose not to talk about it. So will the Bedouin vote in the Negev be the one to decide the elections? In a little over a month, we will know.
