Disappointment with Netanyahu - and the anger on the street: the voices that could change the political balance
The Arab parties hope to capitalize on anger in the Bedouin diaspora over rising crime and housing distress to increase voter turnout in the 2026 elections. Ra'am, leading among Bedouin voters, seeks to mobilize additional voters, while some voters who previously identified with Likud express disappointment with the current government.
Disappointment with Netanyahu and anger on the street: the voices that could change the political balance. The security establishment has warned of "terrorist organizations" in the Bedouin diaspora, and the Arab parties hope to use the anger that has grown with the rise in crime to channel it into votes. Ra'am, which leads among Bedouin voters, is trying to increase the relatively low voter turnout. Its candidate, Ata Abu Madigam, is convinced: "The Bedouins will decide the elections." Residents of the diaspora face rising crime, home demolitions, and housing distress. Shin Bet chief David Zini warned of military infrastructure in the diaspora, but the police denied this. Local council heads protested the portrayal of Bedouin society as a security threat. Voter turnout in the Negev in 2022 stood at about 51%, and Ra'am was the leading party. The number of eligible voters in Bedouin localities in the Negev is estimated at about 170,000. In the north, efforts are underway to raise voter turnout amid housing distress and crime. Some Bedouin voters who previously identified with Likud expressed disappointment with the current government.