"The Arab parties should send flowers to Ben Gvir": A reversal in Netanyahu's Bedouin stronghold

A political upheaval in Tarabin al-Sana: Likud plummeted from nearly 59% to 0.7% of the vote, while Ra'am won about 93%. Voter turnout nearly doubled, and residents attribute the reversal to police activity and visits by Ben Gvir.

A political upheaval in the Bedouin village of Tarabin al-Sana in the Negev: the Likud party, which won nearly 59% of the votes in the 2022 elections in the village, received only 0.7% in the elections held this week – four votes. In contrast, the Ra'am party led by Mansour Abbas won about 93% of the votes, 538 votes, compared to about 35.8% in the previous elections. Voter turnout nearly doubled from 38% to 74%. Residents attribute the sharp change to the extensive police activity in the area and the visits of National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir. One voter said: "The Arab parties should send flowers to Minister Ben Gvir, he brought them the votes." The article notes that the claim that police activity led to the change is based on residents' statements, not on an examination of the motivations of all voters.