{
  "id": 17365703,
  "title": "'He sent them to the polls': Likud activists blame Ben-Gvir for galvanizing Arab voters",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/31/he-sent-them-to-the-polls-likud-activists-blame-ben-gvir-for",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-31T08:20:52.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Jerusalem Post",
    "slug": "jerusalem-post",
    "url": "https://www.jpost.com/israel-election-2026/article-913383"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In Israel's Negev region, voter turnout in Rahat, the largest Bedouin city, reached nearly 80% during the recent election, a significant increase from previous years. Arab parties in the city hailed the results as a \"poke in the eye\" for National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir. However, Likud activists in the area placed the blame on Ben-Gvir, arguing that his aggressive rhetoric and confrontational statements had driven tens of thousands of Arab voters to the polls against the right-wing bloc.\n\nElection observers reported an atmosphere of anger and tension among residents, with Ben-Gvir's name frequently heard on the streets and at polling stations. Shimon Boker, a Likud central committee member, criticized Ben-Gvir's conduct, stating that he had dealt a significant blow to the national camp and contributed to an increase in Arab party seats. Boker emphasized that addressing agricultural crime and illegal construction required firm action and sound policy, not provocations.\n\nIn Rahat, the voter turnout operation was efficient, with residents organizing transportation to polling stations. Mayor Talal al-Krenawi, who set an ambitious goal of 75% turnout, expressed satisfaction with the outcome, stating that Rahat had demonstrated its strength. Residents emphasized that their protest targeted Ben-Gvir's demolition policy and statements, asserting that they had no objection to Netanyahu's previous electoral successes in the Negev, as long as Ben-Gvir refrained from damaging the community's well-being.\n\nBen-Gvir's supporters rejected the accusations, blaming Likud instead. Roy, a Ben-Gvir supporter in southern Israel, argued that voters' long-standing loyalty to the right-wing bloc drew support away from Ben-Gvir's party. Ben-Gvir's approach, according to Roy, prioritized law enforcement and the removal of illegal encroachments, rather than addressing Bedouin concerns.\n\nConversely, Bedouins offered a different perspective. Raed Abu al-Qi'an, a resident of Hura in the Negev, believed that the mass mobilization reflected a sense of being under siege. He contended that Ben-Gvir incited against the Bedouin community, focusing solely on demolishing homes without offering solutions or alternatives. Abu al-Qi'an criticized Ben-Gvir's campaign, claiming that it prioritized the population's expenses over governance and security, leading to a civic uprising at the ballot box.",
  "summary": "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 in southern Israel.",
  "key_points": [
    "Nearly 80% voter turnout in Rahat, Negev's largest Bedouin city",
    "Likud activists blame Ben-Gvir for galvanizing Arab voters",
    "Ben-Gvir's rhetoric attributed to increase in Arab party seats"
  ],
  "editors_take": "Aggressive rhetoric from National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir risks backfiring on the right-wing bloc by transforming local grievances into a powerful tool for Arab voter mobilization.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}