Bedouin women drive high voter turnout in Israeli elections

A grassroots campaign led by Bedouin women has significantly impacted Israeli election results, with voter turnout in some southern Negev villages increasing threefold. The campaign, including the al-Nashmiyat network led by lawyer Hanan Alsanah, focused on educating women about their political power to counter policies targeting the Bedouin community.

Activists reported that the surge in participation was driven by a desire to oppose National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, whose policies have included the large-scale demolition of Palestinian and Arab homes. One resident, Umm Khalid Fatoun, cited the demolition of her son’s house as a primary motivation for voting against the ruling coalition.

The increased Bedouin turnout contributed to Arab parties securing 19 seats in the Knesset, which played a critical role in reducing the governing majority held by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his allies. In some communities, turnout reached as high as 93 percent.